Seattle: what paychecks leave after rent
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area: 2,086,210 jobs, median pay of $72,610 across all occupations, and a $2,180 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent.
The typical worker in Seattle, earning the all-occupations median of $72,610, takes home about $4,993 a month after federal taxes. A one-bedroom at HUD's Fair Market Rent would take 44% of that. The median wage is 0.83× the income needed to keep that rent at 30% of gross pay, which falls short of the guideline.
Of the 10 jobs covered here, software developers have the most room (21% of take-home on a 1BR). Fast Food and Counter Workers are the most squeezed (78%).
Census figures add context: the ACS 2020–2024 5-year median gross rent paid by all renter households in the metro was $2,000 (±$10), and median household income was $115,177 (±$719).
Rent share of take-home pay, by job
All jobs in Seattle
| Job | Median pay | Take-home / mo | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left after 1BR | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $167,280 | $10,467 | 27.1 h | 21% | $8,287 | 1.92× |
| Registered Nurse | $128,260 | $8,244 | 35.4 h | 26% | $6,064 | 1.47× |
| Police Officer | $115,120 | $7,485 | 39.4 h | 29% | $5,305 | 1.32× |
| Elementary School Teacher | $102,920 | $6,770 | — h | 32% | $4,590 | 1.18× |
| Electrician | $101,780 | $6,703 | 44.6 h | 33% | $4,523 | 1.17× |
| Accountant or Auditor | $99,370 | $6,561 | 45.6 h | 33% | $4,381 | 1.14× |
| Truck Driver | $71,240 | $4,912 | 63.6 h | 44% | $2,732 | 0.82× |
| Medical Assistant | $61,500 | $4,300 | 73.7 h | 51% | $2,120 | 0.70× |
| Retail Salesperson | $42,080 | $2,999 | 107.8 h | 73% | $819 | 0.48× |
| Fast Food Worker | $39,150 | $2,803 | 115.8 h | 78% | $623 | 0.45× |
HUD rent areas in this metro
| HUD FMR area | Population | 1BR | 2BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area | 3,131,601 | $2,180 | $2,549 |
| Tacoma, WA HUD Metro FMR Area | 930,319 | $1,682 | $2,064 |
HUD splits this metro into several rent areas. Highlighted is the most populous one, which this site uses for every comparison.
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median gross rent (B25064) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates: Median household income (B19013) — vintage: ACS 2020–2024 5-year. File:
acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.