Census tract · King County
Census Tract 281, King County, Washington
Census Tract 281, GEOID 53033028100, in King County, Washington, mostly within SeaTac (86% of its census blocks). 3,043 residents in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±471); the 2020 Census counted 2,934.
Residents, 2020-2024
3,043
±471 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 2,934
Median household income
$68,284
±$11,601 (90% margin)
King County: $124,746
Median home value
$537,800
±$74,592 (90% margin)
King County: $859,900
Median gross rent
$1,480
±$161 (90% margin)
King County: $2,092
Where is Census Tract 281?
Census Tract 281 is one of 495 census tracts in King County, Washington. It covers 0.61 square miles of land, 4,779 residents per square mile in 2020. Its GEOID, 53033028100, names it uniquely (how tract numbers and GEOIDs work).
4 census tracts border Census Tract 281: Tract 273 ($110,147), Tract 280 ($85,482), Tract 282 ($68,702) and Tract 284.02 ($82,256). The figure in brackets is each tract's median household income.
Whether a tract counts as low- or moderate-income for bank lending (the Community Reinvestment Act) is set by the FFIEC against its metro area's family income: look it up in the FFIEC census geocoder.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 block assignment files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Census Tract 281?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Census Tract 281's population at 3,043 (±471) in 1,008 households; the 2020 Census counted 2,934 residents and 975 housing units.
| Measure | Tract 281 | SeaTac |
|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,043±471 | 32,414 |
| Households | 1,008±162 | 12,134 |
| Average household size | 3.00±0.35 | 2.60 |
| Housing units | 1,076±142 | 12,886 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Census Tract 281?
The median resident of Census Tract 281 is 40.6 years old; 23.1% are under 18 and 14.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 28.8%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 27.6%. 53.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Tract 281 | SeaTac |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.6±2.9 | 36.8 |
| Under 18 years | 23.1%±4.5 pts | 22.5% |
| 65 years and over | 14.7%±6.8 pts | 12.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 27.6%±10.3 pts | 22.8% |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 13.6%±4.9 pts | 27.0% |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 28.8%±7.9 pts | 24.4% |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 23.0%±8.2 pts | 17.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.7%±0.8 pts | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 4.4%±3.8 pts | 1.3% |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.9%±1.6 pts | 6.7% |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.3 pts | 0.2% |
| Born outside the United States | 53.8%±5.9 pts | 39.9% |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 62.1%±7.9 pts | 50.5% |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.4%±2.1 pts | 4.9% |
| With a disability | 13.6%±7.0 pts | 13.4% |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.9%±4.4 pts | 11.6% |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 78.3%±7.0 pts | 83.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 29.0%±7.0 pts | 26.4% |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 7.1%±3.8 pts | 6.7% |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.2%±6.2 pts | 80.5% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Census Tract 281 earn?
Half of the 1,008 households in Census Tract 281 earn less than $68,284 a year (±$11,601), against $124,746 across King County: 461st highest of the county's 491 tracts with a reliable estimate. 7.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Tract 281 | SeaTac |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,284±$11,601 | $81,104 |
| Mean household income | $94,071±$11,969 | $98,134 |
| Per capita income | $33,604±$4,403 | $38,330 |
| People below the poverty line | 7.3%±3.2 pts | 9.3% |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.5%±7.3 pts | 8.8% |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.9%±6.2 pts | 14.8% |
| Households with a computer | 96.1%±3.4 pts | 97.3% |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.3%±4.2 pts | 91.9% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Census Tract 281?
Owners occupy 41.2% of Census Tract 281's occupied homes and renters 58.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $537,800 by its owner (±$74,592). The median renter pays $1,480 a month including utilities, and 54.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Tract 281 | SeaTac |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $537,800±$74,592 | $519,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,480±$161 | $1,660 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 54.5%±13.2 pts | 48.5% |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,515±$277 | $2,304 |
| Owner-occupied homes | 41.2%±9.9 pts | 46.5% |
| Renter-occupied homes | 58.8%±9.9 pts | 53.5% |
| Housing units | 1,076±142 | 12,886 |
| Single-family detached homes | 44.3%±7.8 pts | 42.3% |
| Mobile homes | 0.0%±3.6 pts | 4.6% |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.7%±6.4 pts | 2.5% |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.9%±6.9 pts | 8.9% |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.2%±1.4 pts | 4.6% |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.3%±8.2 pts | 10.6% |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Census Tract 281 get to work?
49.7% of Census Tract 281's workers drive alone and 12.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.4 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 9.7%.
| Measure | Tract 281 | SeaTac |
|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 72.0%±5.6 pts | 69.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 9.7%±4.9 pts | 7.0% |
| Drove alone to work | 49.7%±8.1 pts | 58.5% |
| Carpooled | 21.7%±10.5 pts | 16.6% |
| Public transportation | 8.8%±4.4 pts | 6.5% |
| Walked | 4.0%±2.8 pts | 5.2% |
| Worked from home | 12.9%±6.2 pts | 11.5% |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.4 min±2.6 | 25.4 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
How does Census Tract 281 compare with the other tracts in King County?
Among King County's tracts with a reliable estimate, Census Tract 281 ranks as shown below (1 = highest).
| Measure | In King County | In SeaTac |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 448th of 494 | 7th of 7 |
| Residents per square mile | 282nd of 494 | 4th of 7 |
| Median household income | 461st of 491 | 5th of 7 |
| Per capita income | 471st of 494 | 5th of 7 |
| Median home value | 425th of 481 | 5th of 7 |
| Median gross rent | 464th of 483 | 5th of 7 |
| Poverty rate | 194th of 316 | 4th of 6 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 426th of 494 | 2nd of 7 |
| Median age | 153rd of 494 | 2nd of 7 |
| Owner-occupied share | 377th of 483 | 5th of 7 |
The tracts next to it on King County's income ladder
| Tract | Rank | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 1.01 | 458th | $69,577±$14,341 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 303.14 | 459th | $68,790±$18,186 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 282 | 460th | $68,702±$5,513 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 281 | 461st | $68,284±$11,601 |
| Tract 294.07 | 462nd | $67,313±$15,536 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 295.05 | 463rd | $66,381±$9,568 · within the margin of this tract |
| Tract 4.03 | 464th | $65,469±$20,663 · within the margin of this tract |
"Within the margin": the two incomes differ by less than their combined 90% margins, so the survey cannot say which is higher and the ranks between them are not firm.
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Census Tract 281?
Every figure for Census Tract 281 on this page has a coefficient of variation under 40%, the Census Bureau's threshold for a usable estimate.
A census tract's figures rest on a few hundred sampled households over five years, so its margins are wider than a city's. Two tracts differ only when the gap between them is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins). How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · Check it at data.census.gov
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections