1st Advantage MortgageAbout 55% of King County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $124,746. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- King County by the numbers
- Household income in King County
- What it costs to live in King County
- Work, industries and travel time in King County
- Cities, towns and CDPs in King County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- More King County figures
- Reading the King County data as a borrower
- What a median King County budget can carry
- Licensing and complaints for King County
- A King County borrower's checklist
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
King County by the numbers
King County is home to about 2,287,171 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 1st most populous of 39 county-level areas in Washington. It covers 2,116 square miles of land, or about 1,081 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Seattle is the biggest of its 59 Census places, at roughly 754,195 people (33% of the county total).
Household income in King County
At $124,746, the typical King County household income is 90% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 1st among Washington's 39 county-level areas.
| Households earning | King County | +/- vs Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 13.2% | -2.9 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 27.6% | -7.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 29.3% | -1.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 29.8% | +11.3 pts |
About 13% of households earn under $35,000, while 59% clear $100,000. Census counts 8.6% of King County residents in poverty, against 9.9% across Washington. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.483 (0 is perfect equality). If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the King County median.
What it costs to live in King County
A typical King County rental runs $2,092 a month including utilities, which is 19% above Washington. By the Census definition, 47% of King County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $859,900, a typical King County house costs 6.9 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 55%.
| Measure | King County | Washington | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $2,092/mo | $1,760/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $859,900 | $564,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 55% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 47% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 28% | 30% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 1.4% | 5.5% | n/a |
Work, industries and travel time in King County
Professional and administrative services employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 20%. Compared with Washington, the county leans toward professional and administrative services (22% against 15%). The survey's unemployment rate for King County averages 4.8% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.1%). 17% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 29% work from home. Only 11.2% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | King County | Compared with Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Professional and administrative services | 22.1% | +7.4 pts |
| Education and health care | 20.0% | -1.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.8% | +0.3 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.0% | -0.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.9% | -1.1 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 5.9% | +0.6 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Cities, towns and CDPs in King County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 59 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 94% of King County residents live in one of the 59. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $78,381 in Tukwila to $250,001 in Clyde Hill. Median rent ranges from $1,453 in Black Diamond to $3,501 in Clyde Hill. Names with links open a city guide. The other 54 places are covered here.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | city | 754,195 | $123,860 | $2,030 | 26 mi |
| Bellevue | city | 151,847 | $165,576 | $2,572 | 17 mi |
| Kent | city | 135,603 | $92,302 | $1,909 | 19 mi |
| Renton | city | 105,317 | $100,432 | $1,998 | 17 mi |
| Federal Way | city | 99,493 | $86,909 | $1,797 | 27 mi |
| Kirkland | city | 92,621 | $150,414 | $2,401 | 22 mi |
| Redmond | city | 77,353 | $162,560 | $2,409 | 18 mi |
| Sammamish | city | 66,463 | $239,690 | $2,857 | 12 mi |
| Shoreline | city | 61,431 | $112,751 | $1,985 | 30 mi |
| Burien | city | 51,513 | $91,318 | $1,782 | 24 mi |
| Bothell | city | 49,610 | $140,427 | $2,346 | 26 mi |
| Issaquah | city | 39,591 | $154,669 | $2,590 | 11 mi |
| Des Moines | city | 32,823 | $92,483 | $1,799 | 24 mi |
| SeaTac | city | 32,414 | $81,104 | $1,660 | 22 mi |
Neighboring counties at a glance
Six nearby counties, 34 to 60 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. None of the six report a higher median household income than King County; Snohomish County is highest at $111,246 and Kittitas County lowest at $73,804.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King County | - | $124,746 | $2,092/mo | 55% |
| Pierce County, WA | 34 mi | $99,564 | $1,806/mo | 65% |
| Snohomish County, WA | 39 mi | $111,246 | $1,949/mo | 68% |
| Kitsap County, WA | 39 mi | $104,158 | $1,822/mo | 70% |
| Kittitas County, WA | 60 mi | $73,804 | $1,341/mo | 61% |
| Island County, WA | 60 mi | $90,551 | $1,662/mo | 75% |
| Thurston County, WA | 60 mi | $96,563 | $1,736/mo | 68% |
More King County figures
Degree holders: 57% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 5.2%, against 6.3% for Washington.
| King County | Washington | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 38.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 56.7% | 39.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.2% | 7.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.2% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 11.2% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 29.2% | 19.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.8% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 19.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 37.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 25.5% |
| 45 to 59 min | 9.3% |
| 60+ min | 8.1% |
Reading the King County data as a borrower
A few patterns in the King County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Higher earners. 59% of households clear $100,000; shop at least three lenders and pick the shortest term.
- Rent squeeze. 47% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a King County borrower sees (free reports).
What a median King County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a King County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $124,746 a year is $10,396 of gross monthly income
- Housing at the median rent of $2,092 uses 20%
- With a 40% ceiling, about $2,066 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $2,092, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Licensing and complaints for King County
Before sharing details with a lender, a King County resident can confirm its license with the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. Statewide data and rules: Washington guide.
A King County borrower's checklist
A short checklist for King County borrowers:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Verify the Washington license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Related local guides
Guides that cover parts of King County:
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in King County earn?
The median is $124,746; 59% earn $100,000 or more and 13% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
Is King County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $2,092 against $1,760 statewide, and 47% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I live in a small King County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Federal Way and 54 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in King County or elsewhere in Washington, the same rules apply.
Who regulates personal lenders for King County residents?
The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Washington; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.