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Seattle, Washington

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

52
Overall Score

Seattle, Washington, is the largest metropolis in the Pacific Northwest, nestled between the waters of Puget Sound and Lake Washington. Originally founded in the mid-19th century and named after Chief Si'ahl, the city evolved from a timber hub into a powerhouse of global commerce, technology, and aerospace. Today, Seattle is celebrated for its stunning natural backdrop, iconic skyline dominated by the Space Needle, and a progressive, innovative culture that attracts professionals and creatives from around the world.

About Washington

Washington, USA, offers a diverse character, split by the Cascade Mountains into a wetter, milder western side and a drier, more extreme eastern side. The economy is robust and varied, with major industries including technology, aerospace, trade, and healthcare in Western Washington, while the eastern half is dominated by agriculture, particularly fruit and vegetable production and dairy farming. Living costs are generally high, especially in the Seattle metropolitan area, though more affordable options exist in Eastern Washington. The climate west of the Cascades features cool, comparatively dry summers and mild, wet, cloudy winters, while the east experiences hotter summers and colder winters. Residents often enjoy an outdoor-oriented lifestyle, balancing urban conveniences with access to diverse natural landscapes.

783,155
Population
$98K
Avg Salary
152
Cost Index
51.6
Quality Score
How this 52/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them
Component Readings used Points Weight Contributes
Safety Safety score: 64 / 100 64.0 30% 19.2
Affordability Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 152.0 0.0 25% 0.0
Economy & jobs Median household income: $115,000 Income needed to live here: $82,000 Unemployment rate: 3.8% 76.4 20% 15.3
Growth Population growth rate: 0.9% Job growth rate: 2.4% 57.8 15% 8.7
Business climate assessment Business climate assessment: 85 / 100 85.0 10% 8.5
Overall score 51.6

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Tier 1 (fast) (q=54, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 17 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

Businesses in Seattle

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Quality Scores

Business
85
Livability
84
Affordability
58
Growth
81

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Seattle is notably higher than the national average, largely driven by soaring housing demand, high-paying technology and aerospace sectors, and local economic growth. While groceries and utilities are moderately elevated, housing costs and real estate prices remain the primary factors pushing overall expenses upward. Despite these financial pressures, competitive salaries in the region help offset the elevated day-to-day expenditures for many residents.

Average Rent
$2,250/mo
Groceries
$520/mo
Transport
$140/mo
Utilities
$210/mo
Healthcare
$290/mo
Gym membership (monthly)
$75.00
Cinema ticket
$16.00
Restaurant meal (mid-range)
$30.00
Monthly groceries
$480.00
Doctor visit (without insurance)
$180.00

Salary Insights

Seattle boasts a robust and dynamic economy anchored by tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, aerospace leaders like Boeing, and a thriving startup ecosystem. The city is a major hub for cloud computing, biotechnology, artificial intelligence, and global retail innovation. Additionally, a strong remote work culture and active venture capital presence continue to drive substantial professional opportunities across multiple sectors.

The average salary in Seattle is $98,000 per year. You would need approximately $82,000 to live comfortably.

Top Industries

Healthcare & Life Sciences +2.80% Aerospace & Advanced Manufacturing +1.50% Technology & Cloud Computing +3.20% Retail & E-Commerce +2.10% Clean Energy & Maritime +2.00%

Climate

🌡️
54°F
Avg Temp
☀️
76°F
Summer High
❄️
38°F
Winter Low
🌧️
40.80"
Annual Rain
💧
74.00%
Humidity
🌤️
238
Sunny Days

Transport

Getting around Seattle relies on a growing multi-modal transit network operated by Sound Transit and King County Metro, featuring light rail, buses, and ferries. While the Link Light Rail connects key urban corridors efficiently, traffic congestion remains a daily challenge for drivers during peak commuting hours. The city continues to invest heavily in pedestrian pathways, protected bike lanes, and transit expansions to improve regional mobility.

28 min
Avg Commute
70.00/10
Transit Score
73.00/10
Walkability
Medium
Car Dependency

Pros & Cons

Advantages
Thriving job market anchored by global tech, aerospace, and biotech leaders
Unmatched access to outdoor recreation including mountains, forests, and marine waters
High median household income well above the national average
Vibrant culinary, coffee, and craft beverage culture
Progressive, highly educated, and culturally active community
Drawbacks
Significantly higher cost of living and housing expenses compared to the U.S. average
Frequent overcast skies and high annual rainfall during the winter months
Persistent traffic congestion during peak commuting hours
Urban property crime and public safety challenges in specific downtown sectors
High barrier to entry for prospective first-time home buyers

Questions about Seattle

What people ask about living in and moving to Seattle, Washington.

Gathering the most common questions about Seattle…

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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