The Town FilesSeattle, Washington
City in King County · population 737,015 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $938,600
- Household income
- $123,860
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 35.6
Seattle is a city of 737,015 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $938,600, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Washington towns, better for young professionals than 100% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 100% of Washington towns.
How Seattle ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Seattle is worth $938,600, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.6 times the median household income of $123,860, which is more affordable than 6% of Washington towns. Median rent is $2,030 a month. 43.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Seattle | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $938,600 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,030 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $123,860 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.6× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 43.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Seattle
| People | Seattle | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 20.2% | — |
| Work from home | 34.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 26.0 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Seattle
July highs average 76.5°F and January lows 37.2°F. About 37.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.8 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 25 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seattle since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on December 12, 1969 about 6.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 11, 2001.
Severe weather in King County since 1996
King County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in King County
King County had 1,449,785 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $132,279 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Seattle itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Public schools in Seattle
133 public schools with 58,751 students, about 16.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln High School | 9-12 | 1,697 | 21.8 |
| Ballard High School | 9-12 | 1,645 | 23.2 |
| Garfield High School | 9-12 | 1,641 | 24.1 |
| Roosevelt High School | 9-12 | 1,528 | 22.1 |
| Ingraham High School | 9-12 | 1,413 | 20.8 |
| West Seattle High School | 9-12 | 1,392 | 22.1 |
| Franklin High School | 9-12 | 1,237 | 19.3 |
| Chief Sealth International High School | 9-12 | 1,201 | 18.2 |
| Nathan Hale High School | 9-12 | 1,091 | 20.6 |
| Evergreen High School | 9-12 | 1,066 | 18.7 |
| Madison Middle School | 6-8 | 1,020 | 22.2 |
| Eckstein Middle School | 6-8 | 1,013 | 21.6 |
Towns near Seattle
- Medina, WA5.1 mi · 2,915 people · home $2,000,001
- Clyde Hill, WA6.3 mi · 3,126 people · home $2,000,001
- Mercer Island, WA6.8 mi · 25,748 people · home $2,000,001
- Bainbridge Island, WA7.4 mi · 24,825 people · home $1,155,900
- Boulevard Park, WA7.5 mi · 4,094 people · home $456,100
- White Center, WA7.6 mi · 16,631 people · home $645,200
- Kirkland, WA8.7 mi · 92,175 people · home $1,115,400
- Bellevue, WA9.2 mi · 151,854 people · home $1,340,300
Seattle questions
Is Seattle, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Seattle scores better for retirees than 27% of Washington towns and quieter than 3%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.6).
How much does a house cost in Seattle?
The median owner-occupied home in Seattle is valued at $938,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $123,860, so homes cost about 7.6 times income. Median rent is $2,030 a month.
What is the weather like in Seattle?
July highs average 76.5°F and January lows 37.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 37.8 inches of precipitation a year and 3.8 inches of snow.
Does Seattle get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Seattle since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on December 12, 1969. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)