CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

47.48° N · 122.28° W · GEOID 5372625

Tukwila

King County, Washington · part of the Seattle, WA metro

WashingtonTukwila, WATukwilaTukwila

The short answer

Tukwila is home to 21,451 people. Median household income is $78,381 a year and median rent is $1,898 a month, 29.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is moderate. The median home is valued at $489,000, about 6.2x annual median household income.

The story in Tukwila is how fast things are changing. Population change sped up in the latest estimate: +2.7% from 2024 to 2025, against -0.4% a year before that. Also notable: The median rent takes 29.1% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 93% of places its size. It is the 2nd-highest of 190 Washington places we track.

13OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Weak

Tukwila scores better than 13% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 179th of 190 in Washington.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%9
Economy 20%37
Safety 20%6
Amenities 15%81
Education 10%35
Commute 10%53
Growth 5%67
Median gross rent
$1,898
39% above the median place
Median household income
$78,381
2% below the median place
Median home value
$489,000
53% above the median place
Unemployment
6.4%
30% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to Tukwila

King County loses about 7.9 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in94,148
Moved out109,084
Net−14,936

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Snohomish County, WA11,02617,266−6,240
Pierce County, WA9,50516,244−6,739
Maricopa County, AZ1,8172,460−643
Kitsap County, WA1,2902,186−896
San Diego County, CA1,5911,592−1

Within Washington, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within WashingtonOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$103K
Leavers$133K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of King County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.9% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.5% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into King County report $103,000 a year in income on average; those leaving, $133,000, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$75,900 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,898 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,572 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $489,000.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 12.8% work from home; 6.5% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Hybla Valley, VA matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
3.9%
32% below the median place
Income of households moving out7
$132,967
89% above the median place
Income of households moving in7
$102,956
46% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureTukwilaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year13.9%32% below
Moved from another state1County figure3.5%75% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure-7.9below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$102,95646% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$132,96789% above
02

What it costs to live here

40% of homes are owner-occupied, fewer than in 95% of the 2,298 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Tukwila29.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$75,920
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
29.1%
43% above the median place
Home price to income
6.2x
64% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
29%
just under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$53,700
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Tukwila, $1,898 a month, and local prices for everything else (102.9 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Tukwila, but easier on the budget

Places that match Tukwila on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Hybla Valley, VA7624.2% vs 29.1%$7,200Compare
Haledon, NJ7521.9% vs 29.1%$17,100Compare
Bensenville, IL7321.2% vs 29.1%$7,400Compare
South Laurel, MD7324.7% vs 29.1%$12,800Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Tukwila.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Tukwila? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
40.4%
39% below the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$2,572
37% above the median place
Median home value1
$489,000
53% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureTukwilaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,89839% above
Rent to income129.1%43% above
Property tax rate10.9%1% below
Home price to income16.2x64% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure111.110% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$2,54958% above
Property tax paid (median)1$4,41435% above
Median home value1$489,00053% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure0.9%72% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure36.5%29% below
Homeownership140.4%39% below
Renters paying 30%+154.4%8% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,57237% above
Vacant homes16.9%2% below
Median year built119810% above
03

Work and pay

OpenStreetMap shows 19.9 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 94% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Commutes by transit1
6.5%
above the median place (median 0.8%)
Unemployment1
6.4%
30% above the median place
Poverty rate1
13.1%
21% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Mean commute25 min −1%
Income per person$39,158 −2%
Median household income$78,381 −2%
Works from home12.8% +3%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureTukwilaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$78,3812% below
Income per person1$39,1582% below
Unemployment16.4%30% above
Average annual pay5County figure$136,848107% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure3.5%5% below
Jobs5County figure1,436,484above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate113.1%21% above
Mean commute125 min1% below
Works from home112.8%3% above
Commutes by transit16.5%above (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Born abroad is 40.1%, 354% above the median place.

Born abroad1
40.1%
354% above the median place
High school or higher1
82.2%
11% below the median place
No health insurance1
12.4%
94% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age35.4 −9%
Household size2.7 +7%
Bachelor's or higher25.3% −21%
Homes with broadband90.8% −2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureTukwilaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population121,4512170th largest
Population change since 202061.0%10% below
Median age135.49% below
Bachelor's or higher125.3%21% below
High school or higher182.2%11% below
Household size12.77% above
Born abroad140.1%354% above
No health insurance112.4%94% above
Homes with broadband190.8%2% below
05

Life in Tukwila

About 19 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, more than in 93% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

1 site is on the National Register of Historic Places, 9 of them National Historic Landmarks.

  • Tukwila School listed 1979

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents21.0 2.1×
Playgrounds per 10k19.1 2.0×
Grocery stores per 10k1.9 −12%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k62.5 5.6×
Libraries per 10k1.9 2.1×
Named paths and bike trails19 km 9.6×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi19.9 94.9×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Mount Rainier National Park 50 miles
  • Mount Rainier Wilderness 50 miles
  • Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve 55 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars27.9 +34%
Shops25.8 −15%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.9 +44%
Doctors' offices and clinics25.0 +24%
Child care centers4.3 +87%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Students per teacher13
20.6
34% above the median place
Nearest National Park Service site10
49.7
61% above the median place
Public schools13
6
33% below the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureTukwilaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13633% below
Public school students132,75444% below
Students per teacher1320.634% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure27.934% above
Shops per 10k8County figure25.815% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure5.944% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure25.024% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure4.387% above
Parks per 10k921.0106% above
Playgrounds per 10k919.1103% above
Grocery stores per 10k91.912% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k962.5above (median 11.2)
Libraries per 10k91.9114% above
Named paths and bike trails919.2above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi919.9above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1049.761% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles10350% above
National Register listings11192% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 541, 182% above the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
541
182% above the median place
Property crime per 100k
9,796
above the median place (median 1,213)
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

July average high14
72°F
17% below the median place
Annual precipitation14
75.4 in
72% above the median place
Natural hazard risk15
99.7
8% above the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureTukwilaAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure72°F17% below
January average low14County figure32°F26% above
Average temperature14County figure48°F13% below
Annual precipitation14County figure75.4 in72% above
Natural hazard risk15County figure99.78% above
Tornado risk15County figure73.210% below
Wildfire risk15County figure79.530% above
Heat wave risk15County figure98.29% above
Median air quality index16County figure430% above
Good air days16County figure67.1%2% below
08

Tukwila in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 30% of the median income in 2030, up from 29% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Tukwila does better than 9% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 72%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,898/mo (2024)$2,470/mo$2,030 to $3,010/mo+4.5%
Median household income$78,381 (2024)$100,000$84,500 to $118,500+4.2%
Median home value$489,000 (2024)$713,000$517,000 to $982,000+6.5%
Population22,003 (2025)22,26021,350 to 23,200+0.2%

The median home would be worth 7.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 6.2 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Tukwila

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Chelsea, MA$1,956$72,179Compare
Northglenn, CO$1,775$84,030Compare
Lynn, MA$1,722$75,043Compare
Burlington, WA$1,746$80,475Compare
Burlington, WALynn, MANorthglenn, COChelsea, MATukwila, WATukwilaChelseaNorthglennLynnTukwilaChelseaNorthglennLynn

Places built like Tukwila

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Tukwila performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Tukwila, WA29.1%6.2%/yr1.0%
SeaTac, WA24.6%5.2%/yr9.9%Compare
Ashland, CA31.0%5.2%/yrn/aCompare
Lomita, CA25.1%5.6%/yr-5.9%Compare
Lynnwood, WA26.9%4.0%/yr9.2%Compare
Stanton, CA28.3%8.0%/yr5.8%Compare
Lawndale, CA27.2%6.6%/yr-6.1%Compare

Common questions

Is Tukwila a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 13 out of 100, better than 13% of the places we rate and 179th of 190 in Washington. On cost, space and class size it scores 5 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Tukwila expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 29.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $489,000.

What salary do you need to live in Tukwila?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $75,920 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Tukwila safe?

There were 541 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Tukwila?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Chelsea, MA, Northglenn, CO, Lynn, MA and Burlington, WA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  11. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  12. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Tukwila with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Tukwila itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/tukwila-washington

Citytistics. “Tukwila, Washington.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/tukwila-washington/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.