Household income is a broadly recognized indicator of economic well-being. It provides information about the financial resources available to households, and is closely tied to employment levels, educational attainment, and health. For most people, wages earned from work is the primary driver of economic success. The gap between the highest earners and everyone else has been growing in the U.S. for decades.
For this measure, household income is based on the pre-tax income of all household members 15 years and older. It is based on the median value, where half the households in the geographic area earn more and half earn less, including households with no income.
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Household Income Map
Median values adjusted to 2022 dollars
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, Table B19013; U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division 2020 TIGER/Line Shapefiles
Insights & Analysis
- King County has the highest median household income ($116,300), followed by Snohomish ($104,100), Kitsap ($93,700), and Pierce ($91,500).
- Highest median household income at the census tract level is $250,000.
- Nine census tracts tied with the highest median household income ($250,000) are all in King County. Six are around Lake Washington: one tract in southwest Bellevue along the lakeshore, one in Clyde Hill/Hunts Point/Yarrow Point, three on the southern half of Mercer Island, and one in Seattle’s Laurelhurst neighborhood. The remaining three are in the Hilltop neighborhood in Bellevue, east Sammamish, and between Woodinville and Cottage Lake.
- Lowest median household income at the census tract level is $19,400.
- Seven census tracts with median household incomes below $40,000 are in Seattle’s University District ($19,400 and $23,200), Auburn along Route 167 ($30,300), Downtown Tacoma ($32,700), around Seattle’s University of Washington campus ($35,900 and $38,000), and in Seattle’s Chinatown and International District ($36,900).
- The national median household income is $77,700.
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample
Insights & Analysis
- Regional median household income for those living below 200% of federal poverty level (i.e., households with lower income) is $23,200.
- Regional median household income for those with youth is $38,700 higher than those without.
- Snohomish County has the smallest difference in median household income by race and ethnicity, where white non-Hispanic households earn $1,600 more than households of color, while Pierce County has the largest difference ($18,100) with white non-Hispanic households earning more than households of color.
- For households with lower income, the median household income is lowest in King County ($22,100), followed by Snohomish ($23,800), Kitsap ($24,000), and Pierce ($25,300).
- The largest difference in median household income by disability status is in King County, where people with a disability earn $50,000 less than those without, while the smallest difference is in Kitsap County ($16,500).
- For households with limited English proficiency, Snohomish County is the only county where the median income ($64,000) is higher than the region’s median ($56,900).
Source(s): U.S. Census Bureau, 2008-2012, 2013-2017, 2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample
Insights & Analysis
- In 2022, households in the region with lower income made $103,200 less than other households, a 30% larger gap than in 2012.
- The regional median household income for those with older adults is $38,500 lower than those without in 2022, a 33% larger gap than in 2012.
- The differences in median household income between people of color and white non-Hispanic people from 2012 to 2022 has changed across counties: decreasing in King County (-34%) and Snohomish County (-84%), and increasing in Kitsap County (+1%) and Pierce County (+27%).
- The median household income for households with lower income stayed relatively static over time, while the median household income for other households increased between 2012 and 2022, especially in King County (increased by $28,500) and Snohomish County (increased by $20,600).
- The difference in median household income for those with a disability compared to those without between 2012 and 2022 decreased in Kitsap County (-21%) slightly increased in Pierce and Snohomish counties (+7% and +13%, respectively), and increased to a larger extent in King County (+36%), where the disparity increased by $13,200.