Income Distribution

Sources: 2000 US Census, 2010 American Community Survey (1-year weighted average; 2011); Source: 2006-2010 American Community Survey (5-year weighted average; 2011)

Key Findings

Exhibit 5-1 shows the distribution of household income by income quintile. Each quintile represents 20% of Seattle households.

Income has shifted little among the upper three quintiles from 2008 to 2011. In 2008, the top 20% highest income households accounted for approximately 52% of Seattle income. In 2010, the highest income households accounted for 52% of income, with an absolute decrease of 0.4%. In the 4th income quintile, 2011 households accounted for 23% of Seattle income, 0.1% higher than in 2008. In 2009, income distribution was higher in all categories except for the 3rd and 5th quintiles (Ex. 5-1).

Seattle median household income was $52,048 in 2011, about 15% higher than the US median income of $45,00. Seven of eight population groups in Seattle have higher median incomes than their national counterparts (Ex. 5-2).