The Seattle metro area: King, Pierce and Snohomish counties · Population 4,061,920 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in the Seattle area
Household size in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in the Seattle area average 2.60 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.52, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the west.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in the Seattle area are younger than 38.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in the Seattle area than nationally: 9.1%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 1.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only six of the 100 large U.S. metro areas have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in the Seattle area
Renters in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
About four in ten households in the Seattle area rent their homes (40.0%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 31.0% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 100 large U.S. metro areas, only nine have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in the Seattle area than nationally: 6.6%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. The Seattle area has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of large metro areas.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in the Seattle area was built around 1983, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in the Seattle area costs $2,193 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,031 a month from 2006–10, an 89% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.3% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the southwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in the Seattle area
Bachelor's degrees in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in the Seattle area: 46.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 9.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in the Seattle area is above the national rate: 93.1% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. The Seattle area has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five large metro areas.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in the Seattle area
| Period | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.0%, unemployment in the Seattle area is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Largest cities in the Seattle area
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle area (all) | 2.60 | 38.8 | 9.1% | 40.0% | 6.6% | 1983 | $2,193 | 46.3% | 93.1% | 5.0% |
| Tacoma | 2.49 | 38.3 | 13.5% | 41.9% | 5.6% | 1968 | $1,845 | 32.6% | 90.2% | 6.2% |
| Bellevue | 2.52 | 39.7 | 6.1% | 48.4% | 6.7% | 1982 | $2,794 | 72.0% | 95.5% | 4.2% |
| Everett | 2.55 | 37.7 | 10.1% | 48.6% | 6.9% | 1980 | $1,849 | 29.2% | 89.7% | 5.7% |
| Kent | 2.92 | 35.8 | 12.2% | 48.2% | 6.9% | 1987 | $2,074 | 28.7% | 84.7% | 6.9% |
| Federal Way | 2.85 | 38.4 | 11.9% | 44.3% | 6.9% | 1984 | $1,910 | 29.6% | 88.9% | 5.6% |
| Renton | 2.65 | 38.3 | 11.2% | 45.9% | 6.3% | 1984 | $2,243 | 38.2% | 88.5% | 5.0% |
| Auburn | 2.91 | 37.0 | 12.9% | 37.3% | 5.8% | 1989 | $1,949 | 26.0% | 87.9% | 6.6% |
| Marysville | 2.82 | 39.6 | 10.6% | 27.6% | 5.0% | 1991 | $2,146 | 24.6% | 91.7% | 4.1% |
| Lynnwood | 2.65 | 38.6 | 8.2% | 39.1% | 5.2% | 1990 | $2,151 | 40.7% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
| Redmond | 2.45 | 36.8 | 5.3% | 54.8% | 7.2% | 1993 | $2,642 | 76.0% | 97.6% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Metro areas of similar size: Denver area · Portland area · Tampa area · San Diego area · Minneapolis area · Detroit area · Riverside area · San Francisco area · Phoenix area · Boston area
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up the Seattle area. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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