Living in Seattle, WA

Seattle's crime numbers hover right around the U.S. average. Violent crime index: 97. Property crime index: 191. The national baseline for both is 100, so you're looking at a city that's neither notably safe nor notably dangerous on paper. In practice, where you live within the city shifts the picture dramatically — a 10-minute drive can mean a completely different experience. Check local crime maps. Source: FBI UCR.

By most measures, yes. The median rent of $1,998/month against a median household income of $121,984/year works out to a 19.7% rent-to-income ratio. Financial planners generally want that number under 30%, so Seattle clears the bar with room to spare. You'll have breathing space for savings, car payments, and the occasional splurge. Numbers from Census ACS 2023.

The average worker in Seattle spends about 18 minutes getting to the office. Driving solo is the default (37.6%), with 31.3% working remotely and 13.9% on public transit. It's a fairly typical commute — not a selling point, not a dealbreaker.

Not particularly. The climate risk score is 22/100, which puts Seattle in the low-risk tier. Earthquake, Flood, and Wildfire are the most relevant hazards, but none of them are frequent concerns. Standard insurance should have you covered. It's one less thing to worry about if you're comparing this city to higher-risk metros along the coast or in tornado alley. Data from FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA.

For most families, yes. Graduation rates run at 88.0% with a 14:1 student-teacher ratio, which is respectable. The best schools in Seattle compete with any in the state, though weaker ones pull the city-wide average down. If schools drive your housing decision, focus on specific attendance zones — the right neighborhood makes all the difference.

A bit less than you'd pay in most U.S. cities. The average monthly utility bill in Seattle is around $212 (covering electric, gas, water, sewer), compared to a national average of $230. That $18 monthly savings won't change your life, but it's a nice perk — especially if you're coming from a more expensive market.

Good, overall. The median AQI sits at 40, which falls within the EPA's "Good" category, and Seattle logs 268 clean-air days annually. PM2.5 is the main pollutant. Occasional spikes happen — wildfire smoke, temperature inversions, or high-ozone days — but they're the exception, not the rule. Check AirNow.gov during allergy season or summer heat waves.

A fair amount. The total effective tax rate is roughly 11.3% when you combine income, property, and sales taxes. Sales tax alone is 10.3%. That's close to the national average — not punishing, not light. If you're relocating from a low-tax state, run the numbers for your income level before committing. The difference can add up to thousands per year.

Yes. Seattle's water system scores 93/100 in our analysis — zero health-based violations on record, and the lead risk rating is "low." It meets or exceeds all EPA standards. You can fill a glass from the faucet without thinking twice. A basic pitcher filter can improve taste if you're particular, but it's not a safety concern.

Everything on this page is built from public government sources: rent and income figures from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023); commute and transportation data from Census ACS tables B08303 and B08006; crime rates from the FBI Uniform Crime Report; climate risk assessments using FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA storm records; air quality measurements from the EPA's Air Quality System database; water quality compliance data from EPA records and the EWG Tap Water Database; school data from the National Center for Education Statistics; utility cost estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We refresh each dataset monthly through an automated pipeline and cross-check for anomalies. No surveys, no user-submitted guesses — just official federal data presented in a way that's actually useful for people researching a move.