King County, Washington
Among the top 5% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade F, better than 8% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A+, better than 95% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
- top 1% for park & nature access
- top 1% for walkability
- bottom 1% for natural disaster risk
King County is a county in Washington with about 2,254,000 residents. It grades A+ for weather and F for affordability. Standout strengths include park & nature access, walkability, and broadband access. It rates lower on property crime and natural disaster risk.
Official websitekingcounty.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
71%33%clearovercast
Precipitation 6.0 in1.5 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$116k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$73kbetter than 1% of US counties
Home Value$762k99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 1% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 1% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.85%better than 50% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.38%better than 8% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.66%better than 69% of US counties
Unemployment4.5%better than 55% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.2 in66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall7.6 inbetter than 59% of US counties
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 29% of US counties
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 89% of US counties
Comfortable Days116 daysbetter than 96% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk99.7better than 1% of US counties
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 30% of US counties
School Quality87.8better than 87% of US counties
Violent Crime1235/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Property Crime4289/100kbetter than 1% of US counties
Community
Population2,254,371100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.217th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6094th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0370th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+541st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)55.9%20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)6.4%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)10.2%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)19.3%99th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)8.2%92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time29 minbetter than 22% of US counties
Walkability13.0/20better than 99% of US counties
Airport Distance24 mibetter than 94% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.0%better than 98% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.29better than 27% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 99% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is King County an affordable place to live?
- King County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $73k, better than 1% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in King County?
- The median home value in King County is $762k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in King County?
- Median household income in King County is $116k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in King County?
- Median gross rent in King County is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is King County safe?
- King County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1235/100k (better than 24%). Property crime is 4289/100k.
- What is the weather like in King County?
- King County averages 67°F in July and 42°F in January, with 48.2 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in King County?
- Public-school quality in King County is above average, scoring better than 87% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in King County?
- The average one-way commute in King County is 29 min.
Other counties in Washington
Explore Washington
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)