Comprehensive salary data, cost of living, and employment information for Seattle, Washington. Population: 737,015.
Reviewed by Alexander O.M., MBA, BSc Engineering•Updated
Seattle's $110,781 median household income ranks among the top five US major cities, driven by the technology cluster anchored by Amazon (Seattle's largest private employer with well over 50,000 employees in the metro), Microsoft (technically headquartered in neighbouring Redmond but with substantial Seattle workforce), and the broader supplier ecosystem around those two anchor tenants. Boeing's Everett and Renton plants remain among the largest single-site manufacturing employers in the country. The cost-of-living index of 172 is driven primarily by housing — median single-family home prices in Seattle proper sit around $850,000, and one-bedroom rent medians run above $2,200. Washington has no state income tax on wages, which meaningfully improves effective take-home pay — a Seattle tech worker earning $200,000 in gross compensation takes home meaningfully more than a California peer earning the same gross. Seattle's local ordinances include the highest city minimum wage in the country ($20.76/hour for large employers) and a payroll tax on compensation above $168,600 (the JumpStart Seattle tax). Full breakdown below.
Median Individual
$62,510
per year
Median Household
$110,781
per year
Cost of Living
172
Very Expensive (US avg = 100)
Population
1K
Salary Breakdown for Seattle
The median individual income in Seattle is $62,510 per year, which works out to approximately $5,209/month or $30.05/hour for full-time workers. The median household income is $110,781.
Cost of Living Adjusted Salary
Seattle's cost of living index is 172 (national average = 100). The median salary of $62,510 in Seattle has the purchasing power of approximately $36,343 at the national average cost of living. The high cost of living in Seattle means you need a significantly higher salary to maintain the same standard of living as cheaper cities.