Cost of Living in Seattle, WA

Population 749,256 · Washington

Compare with:

Median Rent

Studio

$1,638

1 Bedroom

$1,858

2 Bedroom

$2,359

3 Bedroom

$2,918

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$912,100

Income

Median Household Income

$121,984

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$72,610

Household income: Census ACS, city. Metro median wage: BLS OEWS, all occupations, 2025 (metro area).

The People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.5 yrs

Homeownership

44.2%

Bachelor's+ (25+)

67.5%

Avg Commute

26.6 min

Crime

Violent Crime (per 100k/yr)

787.3

Property Crime (per 100k/yr)

5,107.9

FBI Crime Data Explorer, Seattle Police Department (2024). Offenses per 100,000 residents per year. Agency reporting practices vary, so cross-city comparisons are approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

53.5°F

Annual Precipitation

37.7 in

Gas

Regular Gasoline (Seattle)

$5.77/gal

EIA weekly retail average, week of 2026-05-25.

Public Transit

Base Fare (King County Metro)

$2.75

Adult base one-way fare on the primary agency (2026).

Utilities

Electricity

14.4¢/kWh

Natural Gas

$17.32/MCF

Residential, state-level averages (EIA, 2026-03-01). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

Bread (lb)

$2.10

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

Average prices, West (BLS, 2026-04-01). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes (WA)

State Sales Tax

6.50%

State Income Tax (top rate)

None

State-level rates. Local sales taxes may add more. Income tax shown is the top marginal rate; most filers pay less.

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981-2010 (climate); EIA (gas, utilities); BLS Average Price Data (groceries) & OEWS (metro wage); transit agencies (fares); FBI Crime Data Explorer (crime); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).