Population and Demographics Website Update
We are working on updating the content of this website. View an archived version of this site. For more information, email diana.canzoneri@seattle.gov.
Population & Demographics
Using Data to Inform Decisions
Our data team gathers information and studies trends to help guide City policies, plans, and investments. This includes looking at population and employment growth, demographics, housing, socioeconomic conditions, land use, and more.
We bring together data from many sources and share it on our website and on the Seattle GeoData Portal. We aim to make this information easy to find so the City and our community partners can use it to advance equity and create great places.
Tracking Our Progress
We also track indicators related to equitable development, affordability, and livability. This helps us tell whether Seattle is growing in the ways our plans envision. We will monitor progress toward the growth targets in the recently adopted Comprehensive Plan. We’re also developing a broader program to monitor how well Seattle is doing in advancing the Plan’s goals. This work will build on the 2020 Equitable Development Community Indicators Report available on our Archived Projects page.
Supporting Equity
We also create resources to help City staff, decisionmakers, and community organizations consider and advance equity. These resources include our Racial and Social Equity Index and tools for understanding and preventing displacement.
Seattle Statistics
April 1, 2025 estimates from the WA State Office of Financial Management:
- Population: 816,600
- Households: 393,135
- Total housing units: 426,090
- Occupied housing units: 393,135
2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates:
- Population under 18 years of age: 14.0%
- Population age 65 and over: 12.7%
- Average household size: 1.97
- Average family size: 2.83
- Persons of color: 43.1%
- Foreign born: 19.8%
- Population (age 5 or older) speaking language other than English at home: 24.3%
- Population (25 years and older) with a bachelor's degree or higher: 70.1%
- Household median income: $118,745
- Family median income: $196,839
- Poverty rate: 9.4%
Race and Ethnicity:
- American Indian & Alaska Native – 0.3%
- Asian - 17.8%
- Black or African American – 6.7%
- Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander – 0.3%
- White – 56.9%
- Another race – 0.5%
- Two or more races – 8.4%
- Hispanic or Latino ethnicity (of any race) – 9.1%
Tenure for occupied housing units:
- 41.9% owner-occupied
- 58.1% renter-occupied
Average household size:
- 2.40 people in owner-occupied units
- 1.66 people in renter-occupied housing units
2024 Covered Employment Estimate (Puget Sound Regional Council)
632,813 jobs in Seattle. Covered employment refers to jobs covered under the state's Unemployment Insurance Program, estimated at about 85-90% of total employment.
Seattle Area and Population Density
- Area: 84.4 square miles
- Population density: 9,675 people per square mile
Key Data Sources
The U.S. Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau provides a wide variety of data on population and demographics at the city and neighborhood level from two major programs:
- The decennial Census is done every 10 years to provide counts and basic information about population, households, and housing units.
- The American Community Survey (ACS) is a continuous survey that produces estimates on a broad set of population, social, economic, and housing characteristics.
The Census Bureau's data storymap is the main portal for obtaining data from these programs. You can view ACS data about Seattle's residents and households as well.
The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program provides estimates for the U.S., states, metropolitan statistical areas, counties, and cities.
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM)
- April 1 official population estimates: OFM annually determines the April 1 populations of all cities and towns of the state.
- Growth Management Act county projections: County level population projections once every five years.
Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC)
The PSRC provides estimates and analysis to support planning in the central Puget Sound region. View their Puget Sound Trends.
Seattle GeoData
Seattle GeoData provides direct access to geographic information, including data about the characteristics of places and neighborhoods, that is frequently requested by the public.
- Seattle GeoData Storymap provides direct access to geographic information, including data about the characteristics of places and neighborhoods, that is frequently requested by the public.
- These Planning Datasets provide the underlying demographics, planning, and building permit data that our data team publishes in maps, dashboards, and other data products.