Washington
D+16 · Moderate tax burden · COL index 117
0%
Income Tax
347
Violent Crime / 100K
79.3
Life Expectancy
$570K
Median Home
$2,100
Childcare / Mo
State Profile
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Taxes
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Income Tax
No income tax but 7% capital gains tax on gains over $250K
Property Tax
~$4,788/yr on median home
Sales Tax
Social Security
Pension / IRA
Estate Tax
Inheritance Tax
Capital Gains
7% tax on long-term capital gains over $250K threshold
Housing & Cost of Living
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Cost of Living Index
National avg = 100
Median Home Price
Median Rent (2BR)
Home Insurance
Below national avg (~$1,900/yr)
Flood Insurance
Homestead Exemption
Home equity protected from creditors
Asset Protection
Crime & Safety
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Violent Crime Rate
Near national avg
Property Crime Rate
Above national avg
Traffic Fatality Rate
Healthcare
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State Healthcare Rank
Top tier
Life Expectancy
Above national avg (76.4)
Medicaid Expansion
Uninsured Rate
Education
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K-12 Quality Rank
Top 10 nationally
School Choice / Vouchers
Childcare
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Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)
Very expensive (national avg ~$1,200)
Utilities & Daily Costs
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Avg Monthly Energy Bill
Below national avg
Avg Monthly Groceries
2-person household, moderate spending
Road Quality Rank
Airports & Travel
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Nonstop Destinations
From state's primary airport
Major Hub Airport
Top-25 US airport by passengers
Culture & Lifestyle
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Urban Population
Mix of urban and rural
Restaurant Density
Religious Congregations
Pro Sports Teams
NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS
Major Venues
Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)
Craft Breweries
5.6/100K residents — Strong scene
Craft Distilleries
Strong spirits scene
Live Music
Seattle grunge heritage (Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden); Sasquatch! Festival; Pike Brewing; Chehalis distillery corridor
Transportation
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Car Insurance (Avg Annual)
Traffic Fatality Rate
Broadband Access
Social & Legal
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Abortion Access
No gestational limit; strong state protections
LGBTQ+ Protections
Marijuana
Minimum Wage
Right to Work
Sports Betting
Casino Gambling
Online Gambling
State Lottery
29 tribal casinos. Card rooms legal. Sports betting via tribal casinos and retail only (no mobile).
Age of Consent
Sex Education
Sex ed required by state
Medically Accurate Required
Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs
Bare Buns Fun Run (Spokane) · Lake Associates Naturist Club · Western Outdoor Club
Environment & Climate
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Air Quality (Annual AQI)
Near national avg
Natural Disaster Risk
Primary Hazards
Politics & Gun Laws
▾
2024 Presidential Vote
Gun Laws
Carry Permit
Purchase Permit Required
Gambling
Jobs & Economy
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Job Market
+1.8% job growth · 4.4% unemployment
Top Industries
Tech Jobs
Top tech job market nationally
Healthcare Jobs
Remote Work
High remote work culture
Median Household Income
Business Climate
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Corporate Income Tax
1.5% gross receipts tax applies
LLC Formation Fee
LLC Annual Fee
Business Climate Rank
Business & Occupation (B&O) gross receipts tax; rates range 0.138%–1.5% by activity type
Daily Life
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Gas Price (Regular)
Well above avg (+0.58 vs national avg)
Consumer Fireworks
Ground-based only; aerial/explosive banned statewide
Weather & Natural Risks
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Winter Severity
Avg January high: 46°F
Summer Heat
Moderate summers
Annual Rainfall
Tornado Risk
Hurricane Risk
Wildfire Risk
Flood Risk
Natural Hazards
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Venomous Snakes
Spider Hazard
Scorpions
Hurricane Risk
Tornado Risk
Wildfire Risk
Earthquake Risk
Murder Hornets
Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗
Veteran Benefits
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Veteran-Friendly Score
8.5% of state population are veterans
Property Tax Exemption
Disabled vet property tax exemption
Military Retirement Pay
Active Duty Pay
VA Facilities Access
Notable Benefits
Explore Washington counties
Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county
See your full cost of living in Washington
Housing, taxes, childcare, insurance — all estimated.
Compare Similar States
WA vs MD
Washington vs Maryland
COL 117 vs 116 · No vs 5.75% income tax
Full comparison →
WA vs CT
Washington vs Connecticut
COL 117 vs 114 · No vs 6.99% income tax
Full comparison →
WA vs NH
Washington vs New Hampshire
COL 117 vs 114 · No vs No income tax
Full comparison →
WA vs RI
Washington vs Rhode Island
COL 117 vs 114 · No vs 5.99% income tax
Full comparison →
Trending in Washington
Governor Ferguson announces key legislative priority to ban cellphones in schools statewide - Governor Bob Ferguson (.gov)
Governor Bob Ferguson (.gov) · Jun 9
WA governor’s office warns agencies to prepare for ‘significant budget shortfalls’ - Washington State Standard
Washington State Standard · Jun 6
Once a rising star, Nancy Mace suffers resounding defeat in governor’s race - The Washington Post
The Washington Post · Jun 10
DAF senior leaders explain, justify sizable budget boost in Senate hearing - af.mil
af.mil · Jun 9
Budget shortfall spurs belt-tightening across Washington state - My Bellingham Now
My Bellingham Now · Jun 9
What Residents Say
Considering moving to Seattle, questions around cost of ...
Washington has a really high gas tax. The intent is noble but the reality is something like 70 cents per gallon. I would recommend staying ......
reddit.com ↗
What's life like in Washington state?
Interested in hearing all comments....
reddit.com ↗
Trying to decide between moving to Oregon and ...
One differentiator between the two states is taxes. In Washington there is no state income tax (Yay!) But there is a sales tax. In Oregon, ......
reddit.com ↗
Washington cost of living rising faster than any other state, ...
Washington ranks 5th most expensive in the U.S., trailing only California, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Hawaii....
reddit.com ↗
Is it idiotic to move to Oregon while still working in ...
Smart Asset says you'll pay roughly $46,579 in taxes in Vancouver, WA. That leaves you $178,000 after trades to live on. In Wilsonville, you'd ......
reddit.com ↗
Moving from Washington State to Utah?
My main worry is wages and cost of living there. If anyone can provide some more insight, that would be appreciated. Thanks!...
reddit.com ↗
Making 85k in the midwest and I recieved an offer for 95k ...
Hi, I am in the market looking for another role. I am currently making 85K in the midwest in Wisconsin where cost of living is pretty low. I got a job ......
reddit.com ↗
Are you thinking about moving to Idaho for low taxes? ...
Washington has a 9% sales tax, but 0% on groceries (restaurant food is taxed). The majority of my taxed spending is groceries, so I would be ......
reddit.com ↗
How good is living in Washington if you want to save up?
I know housing costs are really expensive, but besides that, you have very good salaries, even minimum wage, so say if you are not into a STEM ......
reddit.com ↗
Is the cost of living as high as people say? : r/AskSeattle
I know the real estate in Seattle is very expensive, but do you feel the cost of living is exaggerated in other ways like dining out, groceries, utilities, etc?...
reddit.com ↗
Stay Current
Get notified when Washington tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.
Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.