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Washington city profile

What Is It Like to Live in Seattle?

What it costs to live in Seattle, and how it compares with other Washington cities, in plain numbers.

Value score

28

80th best value in Washington

How much you get for what you pay, versus other Washington cities.

Overall livability

36

66th overall in Washington

Cost, safety, schools, jobs and quality of life combined.

Seattle is home to about 726,054 people. A typical home runs $767,500 and a household earns around $105,400, a price-to-income ratio of 7.3. Among Washington's largest cities, it ranks 80th for value and 66th overall.

Seattle at a glance

Median home price

$767,500

86th in WA of 90

Median rent

$1,801/mo

Median household income

$105,400

Home price to income

7.3x

Unemployment

4.3%

31st in WA of 90

School rating

10/10

23rd in WA of 90

Air quality (AQI)

45

0th in WA of 90

Walk score

91/100

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‹ See all top Washington cities ranked  ยท  Washington state profile ›

Sources: Home prices and rent from Zillow; income, unemployment and commute from the U.S. Census; school ratings from state education data; crime from the FBI; air quality from the EPA. City rankings are within Washington only. Updated 2026.