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City · 754,195 residents · King County, Washington

Seattle , Washington

In Seattle, a typical home is worth $938,600 and typical rent is $2,030 a month. Compared with all of King County, the typical home value is 9% higher and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $938,600

    9% above the county

    66% above Washington

    • Seattle
    • King
    • Washington

  • Typical rent

    $2,030a month

    3% below the county

    15% above Washington

    • Seattle
    • King
    • Washington

  • Typical household income

    $123,860a year

    About the same as the county

    26% above Washington

    • Seattle
    • King
    • Washington

  • Households that own their home

    44%

    12 points below the county

    20 points below Washington

    • Seattle
    • King
    • Washington

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$822,572
1.8% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,227 a month
0.5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Seattle is in King County. The FHA loan limit ($1,063,750 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of King County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Seattle apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Seattle has the 7th lowest homeownership rate of the 191 cities in Washington with more than 5,000 people (44%).

  2. Nearby, in White Center, the typical home value is $645,200: 31% less than in Seattle ($938,600).

  3. Nearby, in White Center, the typical rent is $1,595: 21% less than in Seattle ($2,030).

  4. Seattle has the 19th highest typical home value of the 191 cities in Washington with more than 5,000 people ($938,600).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Seattle

What homes there are in Seattle, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Seattle, the apartment is the most common kind of home: 52%, against 38% in King County.

Year built

Homes in Seattle are older: the typical year built is 1976; in King County, 1983.

Homes in Seattle are smaller: 35% have 3 bedrooms or more; in King County, 50%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

At least 57% of owner-occupied homes in Seattle are worth less than $1,000,000, below the FHA loan limit for King County ($1,063,750).

Monthly rent with utilities

About 71% of rented homes in Seattle cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for King County ($2,549).

With a mortgage

$3,505 a month

King County: $3,273 a month

Without a mortgage

$1,166 a month

King County: $1,116 a month

Owners with a mortgage

71%

King County: 70%

Owning costs more in Seattle: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $3,505 a month; in King County, $3,273. Without one, $1,166.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Seattle rose 42% since 2015–2019, less than in King County (57%).

The typical rent in Seattle rose 26% over the same time; in King County, it rose 30%.

The typical household income in Seattle rose 34% over that time; home values changed +42% and rent +26%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSeattleKing CountyWashingtonUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.1%5.3%4.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 1.1%0.7%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room 3.1%3.9%3.5%3.4%
People per household 2.002.392.502.53
Drive alone 37%50%63%69%
Carpool 5%7%9%9%
Public transit 12%7%3%3%
Walk or bike 11%5%4%3%
Work from home 35%29%20%15%
Other means 1%1%1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Open rentals in Seattle look like those in King County: the rental vacancy rate is 6.1%.

In Seattle, 3.1% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in King County.

Households in Seattle are smaller: 2.00 people on average; in King County, 2.39.

Many people here do not commute at all: 35% work from home; in King County, 29%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Seattle?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Seattle, worth $938,600, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 76% of the typical household income in Seattle, which is $123,860 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $334,736 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of King County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Seattle. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $32,851 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$7,810

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$921,600
Total interest
$1,325,966
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $15,851 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,890 a month

  • Tight

    $2,890 to $3,716 a month

  • Hard

    more than $3,716 a month

    Your payment · 76%

Compared with the typical household income in Seattle ($123,860 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$7,810
Principal & interest$6,243
Property tax$610
Home insurance$391
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$566

You need at least $32,851 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Seattle and King County

Seattle is in King County, Washington. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Seattle's own numbers

Typical home value
$938,600
Typical monthly rent
$2,030
Typical yearly household income
$123,860
Households that own their home
44%
Effective property tax rate
0.78%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of King County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$1,063,750
Conventional limit, one unit
$1,063,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$2,549
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+37%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of King County.

Everything about King County

Buying

Buying a home in Seattle

A typical home in Seattle is worth $938,600: 9% above the county and 66% above Washington. With the typical household income in Seattle ($123,860 a year), a typical home costs 7.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Seattle 7.6 years
  • King 6.9 years
  • Washington 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in King County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in King County rose 101% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of King County.

Period County Washington U.S.
Last year (2025) +0.9% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +37% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +101% +113% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Seattle next to King County, Washington and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Seattle $938,600
  • King $859,900
  • Washington $564,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Seattle $2,030
  • King $2,092
  • Washington $1,760
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Seattle $123,860
  • King $124,746
  • Washington $98,141
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Seattle next to King County and Washington
Measure Seattle King County Washington U.S.
Typical home value $938,600 $859,900 $564,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $2,030 $2,092 $1,760 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $123,860 $124,746 $98,141 $80,734
Households that own their home 44% 55% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $7,337 $7,114 $4,556 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.78% 0.83% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 44% 47% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below King County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Seattle

For a typical $938,600 home in Seattle, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Seattle's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $7,811a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $32,851
    Cash to close
    $61,009
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $566

  • Conventional, 5% down $7,487a month

    Down payment
    $46,930
    Cash to close
    $75,088
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $446

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $6,088a month

    Down payment
    $187,720
    Cash to close
    $215,878
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $6,956a month

    Down payment
    $140,790
    Cash to close
    $168,948
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Seattle and for King County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Seattle

0.78%of the home’s value each year

$7,337 a year for the typical owner in Seattle.

  • Seattle 0.78%
  • King 0.83%
  • Washington 0.81%

What Washington publishes Exemption for people 61 and older or with disabilities (Washington State Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Washington

Flood risk in King County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of King County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
5,797
Of those, with NFIP insurance
44%
County Washington U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 44% 40% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Seattle

Typical rent in Seattle is $2,030 a month: 3% below the county. In Seattle, 44% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of King County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($2,549 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $49.02 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of King County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $2,091 $40.21 $83,640
1 bedroom $2,180 $41.92 $87,200
2 bedrooms $2,549 $49.02 $101,960
3 bedrooms $3,324 $63.92 $132,960
4 bedrooms $3,954 $76.04 $158,160

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Seattle

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Seattle has 27 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $2,170 in 98134 to $3,630 in 98121.

19 of the 27 are above the fair market rent for King County ($2,549).

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Seattle when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Seattle

HUD lists 210 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Seattle. These are the largest.

  • High Rise Phase 1 Limited Partnership 505 NE 70th St, Seattle 98115 704 homes, 703 low-income · Run by Seattle Housing Authority · Average payment: $378 a month · Homes at several sites (206) 615-3300
  • High Rise Phase 2 Limited Partnership 2121 26th Ave S, Seattle 98144 686 homes, 684 low-income · Run by Seattle Housing Authority · Average payment: $376 a month · Homes at several sites (206) 615-3300
  • Homeworks Phase I 2445 NW 57th St, Seattle 98107 704 homes, 669 low-income · Studio: 147 · 1 bd: 556 · 2 bd: 1 · In service since 2007
  • Seattle High Rise Rehabilitation Phase II 6420 California Ave SW, Seattle 98136 690 homes, 654 low-income · Studio: 41 · 1 bd: 630 · 2 bd: 19 · In service since 2008
  • Seattle High Rise Rehabilitation Phase II 6420 California Ave SW, Seattle 98136 654 low-income homes · Studio: 41 · 1 bd: 594 · 2 bd: 19 · In service since 2008

See all 601 buildings in King County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Seattle

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 4 HUD-approved agencies with an office in King County; 3 say they serve in Spanish.

Two women and a girl laugh together at the bus stop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Seattle

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Seattle or King County. The ones below are statewide in Washington: they work in Seattle the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Washington

  • Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission 0% second mortgage for 3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage, with no monthly payments; you do not need to be a first-time buyer. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Covenant Homeownership Program

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan with no monthly payments of up to 20% of the price (maximum $150,000) plus closing costs, for first-time buyers whose family lived in Washington before 1968 and belonged to a group affected by housing discrimination, including Hispanic people. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • House Key Opportunity DPA

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan of up to $15,000 at 1% simple interest, with no monthly payments, for the down payment and closing costs of first-time buyers with the House Key Opportunity mortgage. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Seattle

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Seattle, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Credit.org - Seattle Branch

    450 Alaskan Way S, Seattle · 2 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (800) 431-8157

  • Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle

    105 14th Ave Ste 200, Seattle · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 11 more
    (206) 461-3792

  • El Centro de la Raza

    2524 16th Ave S, Seattle · 3 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (206) 957-4634

Every agency in King County All counseling agencies in Washington

Help in Spanish near Seattle

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Seattle

HUD’s record names them for Seattle or King County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Seattle Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (206) 615-3300
  • Ha of King County Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (206) 574-1100

One other authority has an office in King County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in King County

These cities are also in King County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about King County Housing in Washington
See 28 more cities in King County, with prices and rents

Every city has its own page with prices, rents and help.

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Seattle, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If King County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Seattle.

All guides
A father and mother walk their son by the hand down the sidewalk.

Questions

Housing questions about Seattle

Short answers with the numbers for Seattle and all of King County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Seattle?

The typical home value in Seattle is $938,600, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in King County it is $859,900.

How much does it cost to rent in Seattle?

Typical rent in Seattle is $2,030 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in King County is $2,549.

What is the FHA loan limit in Seattle?

Seattle uses the FHA limit for all of King County (2026): $1,063,750 for a one-unit home and $2,045,700 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Seattle?

The typical homeowner in Seattle pays $7,337 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.78% of the home’s value; in King County, the rate is 0.83%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Seattle?

There are 4 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in King County. 3 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).