King County Income Charts

This section shows the King County Washington economy using the most recent economic analysis from the 2022 Census Bureau. Starting with Figure 1 which shows the median earnings per worker, King County depicts it has a Median earnings of $79,971 which is is the uppermost of the counties in the greater King County region. Comparing median earnings per worker to the United States average of $53,269, King County is 50.1% larger. Also, measured against the state of Washington, median earnings per worker of $63,384, King County is 26.2% larger.

In Figure 2 a more complete view of income is shown which aggregates income from all members in the household and it has a Median household income of $106,326 which is the highest of all counties in the greater King County region. Comparing median household income to the United States average of $69,021, King County is 54.0% larger. Also, benchmarked against the state of Washington, median household income of $82,400, King County is 29.0% larger.

The next section examines a variety of different income statistics for the King County metropolitan area. In Figure 3 we see that it has the smallest proportion of earnings less than $10,000 at 4.4% of the total. Second, it has the smallest proportion of earnings between $10,000 and $14,999 at 3.5% of the total. Third, it has the smallest proportion of earnings between $15,000 and $19,999 at 22.3% of the total. Also, it has the largest proportion of earnings between $75,000 and $99,999 at 27.7% of the total and is ranked #1. Dividing median annual worker earnings by the average number of hours worked in a year in Figure 4 shows that it has a Avg Hrly Earnings of $39.64 which is more than all other counties in the metro area. Comparing average hourly earnings to the United States average of $26.40, King County is 50.1% larger. Also, benchmarked against the state of Washington, average hourly earnings of $31.66, King County is 25.2% larger.

Figure 5 examines the number of self employed people in the King County metro area based on the number of people who reported any self employment income. King County shows it has a Self Employed of 13.1% which is the second most people self employed of all the counties in the greater King County region. The county with the highest percentage of people self employed in the area is Kittitas County which depicts a percentage self employed of 14.5% (10.6% larger).

Figure 6 breaks down the source of income and King County has the smallest proportion of investment and retirement income at 3.4% of the total. Second, it has the smallest proportion of social security at 0.3% of the total.

The next chart (Figure 7) shows the percentage of households that had retirement income over the last 12 months and it has a With Retirement Income of 17.2% which is the smallest in order of households with retirement income of all the other counties in the area. The county with the highest households with retirement income in the area is Island County which shows a households with retirement income of 35.9% (about twice as large).

The percentage of full-time workers are compared to the number of part-time workers in Figure 8. King County depicts full time employees approximately 3.7 times bigger as the part time employees.

Similar to the last chart is Figure 9 which shows the number of people who are self employed but in more detailed industry categories such as manufacturing, retail sales, residential real estate, commercial real estate, health care, exports/imports, and advanced industries, etc. King County shows it has the hightest entrepreneurs of 29% for the self employed in professional, scientific, management, administrative services aggregate.

Figure 10 shows the cost of living and other consumer spending categories for a variety of cost components from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. King County shows it has the hightest cost of 217.9 for the cost of housing category.

King County Poverty Charts

In Figure 11 the percentage of people earning less than the poverty level is shown and compared across the group of places. King County depicts it has a Percent of Population In Poverty of 8.4% which is in the center range of other counties in the area. The county with the highest percent of people earning less than the poverty level in the area is Kittitas County which shows a percent of people in poverty of 14.8% (75.6% larger). Additionally, Figure 12 looks at the percentage of people who receive some form of public assistance including general assistance, temporary assistance or food stamps (i.e. SNAP.) King County indicates it has a Public Assistance Percent of 9.3% which is the second smallest when sorted by households with public assistance of all the other counties in the local area. The county with the highest households with public assistance in the area is Pierce County which shows a households with public assistance of 13.0% (39.6% larger).

King County Labor Force Charts

The table in Figure 13, shows King County employment data in terms of job categories and salary data.

The next two charts look at monthly trended employment related performance using data estimated by economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS tracks unemployment statistics for a large number of areas throughout the country on a month to month basis. However, not every location in the U.S. is tracked by the BLS so the chart will only show the closest location available (which may be the same location.) Figure 14 shows the monthly unemployment rate for the area as well as a comparison to the overall national economy measure for the United States. Note that in March to April 2022, the Covid 19 recession occurred and affects this metric. The monthly unemployment rate depicts that from January 2017 to before the COVID-19 Pandemic it went from 3.7% to 5.4% in March 2020. This represents an increase in the monthly unemployment rate of 45.9%. Since that time, the monthly unemployment rate has gone to 2.7%. This represents a decrease in the monthly unemployment rate of 50.0%.

King County Jobs Charts

In the jobs section of economic activity charts in Figure 15 shows the average annual earnings for very high level job industry categories for full time and year round employed.

Figure 16 shows the average median earnings for different categories of jobs.

King County Work Commute Charts

The following set of charts detail a variety of metrics that have economic impact, economic grow factors and economic development metrics in the King County community and has an impact on other factors such as economic growth, population growth, economic recovery, job growth, etc.. Figure 17 shows a high level view of how the population commutes to work (including the percent of people who work from home.) King County has the largest proportion of people who drive a car or motorcycle to work at 11% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of people who bicycle or walk to work at 18% of the total and is ranked #1. Figure 18 shows a more detailed view of how the population commutes to work for (for example to downtown King County or elsewhere.) King County has the smallest proportion of people who drove alone at 55% of the total. Second, it has the largest proportion of people who take the bus at 9% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of people who take a Subway or elevated rail at 1% of the total and is ranked #1. Also, it has the largest proportion of people who take Light rail, streetcar or trolley at 1% of the total and is ranked #1. In addition, it has the largest proportion of people who bike at 1% of the total and is ranked #1. Furthermore, it has the largest proportion of people who work from home at 18% of the total and is ranked #1.

Figure 19 is provided for comparison purposes to the previous chart. It shows how people get to work overall on average in the United States.

The average commute time is shown in Figure 21. King County shows it has a Avg Commute Time of 29 which is the third most average commute time of all other counties in the greater King County region.