King County vs Pierce County
A side-by-side comparison of King County and Pierce County: population, income, housing, and more.
King County and Pierce County are counties in Washington. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
King County has the higher population (2,262,713 vs 924,106 in Pierce County). King County has the higher median household income ($122,148 vs $96,632 in Pierce County). King County has the higher median home value ($811,200 vs $484,400 in Pierce County).
Population, income & housing
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,262,713 | 924,106 |
| Median age | 37.3 yrs | 36.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $122,148 | $96,632 |
| Median home value | $811,200 | $484,400 |
| Median gross rent | $2,035 | $1,722 |
| Housing units | 988,330 | 365,748 |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 64.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.9% | 30.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,195,502 → 2,262,713 (+3.1%) | 877,013 → 924,106 (+5.4%) |
| Median household income | $94,974 → $122,148 (+28.6%) | $72,113 → $96,632 (+34.0%) |
| Median home value | $549,200 → $811,200 (+47.7%) | $303,200 → $484,400 (+59.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,606 → $2,035 (+26.7%) | $1,250 → $1,722 (+37.8%) |
King County
2,195,5022,262,713
$94,974$122,148
$549,200$811,200
$1,606$2,035
Pierce County
877,013924,106
$72,113$96,632
$303,200$484,400
$1,250$1,722
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.3% | 6.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.4% | 17.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.0% | 8.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.2% | 15.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.8% | 14.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.0% | 11.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.5% | 12.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.3% | 8.9% |
| 75 and over | 5.5% | 5.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 54.3% | 62.5% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% | 6.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.4% | 0.7% |
| Asian | 19.8% | 6.4% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 1.5% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Two or more races | 6.9% | 9.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.8% | 12.5% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.2% | 7.5% |
| High school graduate | 14.3% | 26.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.6% | 35.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 32.4% | 19.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 23.5% | 10.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 51.8% | 71.8% |
| Carpooled | 7.2% | 9.8% |
| Public transit | 8.0% | 2.5% |
| Walked | 4.3% | 2.3% |
| Bicycle | 1.1% | 0.2% |
| Worked from home | 26.2% | 12.3% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 50.9% | 65.6% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.5% | 6.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 12.3% | 9.9% |
| 20 or more units | 24.3% | 7.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.5% | 4.8% |
Poverty & households
| King County | Pierce County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 8.9% |
| Average household size | 2.39 | 2.60 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 28 | 32 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1985 |
Full profiles
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