King County vs Thurston County
A side-by-side comparison of King County and Thurston County: population, income, housing, and more.
King County and Thurston 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 296,640 in Thurston County). King County has the higher median household income ($122,148 vs $93,985 in Thurston County). King County has the higher median home value ($811,200 vs $451,500 in Thurston County).
Population, income & housing
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,262,713 | 296,640 |
| Median age | 37.3 yrs | 39.8 yrs |
| Median household income | $122,148 | $93,985 |
| Median home value | $811,200 | $451,500 |
| Median gross rent | $2,035 | $1,634 |
| Housing units | 988,330 | 123,333 |
| Homeownership rate | 56.1% | 67.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.9% | 37.2% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,195,502 → 2,262,713 (+3.1%) | 279,711 → 296,640 (+6.1%) |
| Median household income | $94,974 → $122,148 (+28.6%) | $72,003 → $93,985 (+30.5%) |
| Median home value | $549,200 → $811,200 (+47.7%) | $287,900 → $451,500 (+56.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,606 → $2,035 (+26.7%) | $1,218 → $1,634 (+34.2%) |
King County
2,195,5022,262,713
$94,974$122,148
$549,200$811,200
$1,606$2,035
Thurston County
279,711296,640
$72,003$93,985
$287,900$451,500
$1,218$1,634
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.3% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.4% | 15.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.0% | 7.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.2% | 14.3% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.8% | 14.3% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.0% | 11.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.5% | 12.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 8.3% | 11.3% |
| 75 and over | 5.5% | 7.0% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 54.3% | 70.6% |
| Black or African American | 6.4% | 3.2% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.4% | 0.9% |
| Asian | 19.8% | 5.7% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 6.9% | 7.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.8% | 10.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.2% | 5.5% |
| High school graduate | 14.3% | 22.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 23.6% | 35.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 32.4% | 23.0% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 23.5% | 14.2% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 51.8% | 69.2% |
| Carpooled | 7.2% | 8.2% |
| Public transit | 8.0% | 1.4% |
| Walked | 4.3% | 2.2% |
| Bicycle | 1.1% | 0.5% |
| Worked from home | 26.2% | 17.3% |
| Other means | 1.3% | 1.4% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 50.9% | 67.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.4% | 4.3% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.5% | 5.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 12.3% | 7.3% |
| 20 or more units | 24.3% | 6.7% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.5% | 8.6% |
Poverty & households
| King County | Thurston County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 9.7% |
| Average household size | 2.39 | 2.50 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 28 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1983 | 1991 |
Full profiles
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