King County vs Snohomish County
King County, Washington versus Snohomish County, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
King County and Snohomish County score about the same overall (49 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | King County | Snohomish County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $116k | $104k |
| Cost of Living | $73k | $71k |
| Home Value | $762k | $593k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.85% | 0.82% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.66% | 7.79% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 4.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 65°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.2 in | 50.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 7.6 in | 7.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 116 days | 103 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 99.7 | 97.9 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 87.8 | 76.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1235/100k | 759/100k |
| Property Crime | 4289/100k | 2207/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,254,371 | 828,337 |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 38.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+21 |
| White (%) | 55.9% | 65.5% |
| Black (%) | 6.4% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.2% | 11.1% |
| Asian (%) | 19.3% | 12.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 13.0/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 24 mi | 51 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 94.0% | 93.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.29 | 0.00 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is King County or Snohomish County more affordable?
- Snohomish County has the lower cost of living: its index is $71k, compared with King County's $73k and Snohomish County's $71k. Median rent is $2k in King County versus $2k in Snohomish County.
- Is King County or Snohomish County safer?
- Snohomish County has the lower violent crime rate. King County reports 1235/100k and Snohomish County reports 759/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in King County or Snohomish County?
- The median home value is $762k in King County and $593k in Snohomish County, so homes are more affordable in Snohomish County.