Most of Seattle is in King County, where a full-time job needs to pay at least $72.25 an hour before taxes to take home four times the typical studio rent.
Across the 53 ZIP codes in Seattle with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $1,690 to $2,980 a month. At the middle rent, $2,130, a full-time job would need to pay $70.76 an hour before taxes.
What the standard would be at each ZIP code's own studio rent. The calculator and the official standard use the county figure.
| ZIP | County | Studio rent | Pay needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98101 | King County | $2,860/mo | $97.83/hr |
| 98102 | King County | $2,490/mo | $84.20/hr |
| 98103 | King County | $2,460/mo | $83.08/hr |
| 98104 | King County | $1,930/mo | $63.30/hr |
| 98105 | King County | $2,300/mo | $77.11/hr |
| 98106 | King County | $2,040/mo | $67.40/hr |
| 98107 | King County | $2,490/mo | $84.20/hr |
| 98108 | King County | $1,820/mo | $59.31/hr |
| 98109 | King County | $2,850/mo | $97.49/hr |
| 98111 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98112 | King County | $2,170/mo | $72.25/hr |
| 98113 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98114 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98115 | King County | $2,420/mo | $81.59/hr |
| 98116 | King County | $2,070/mo | $68.52/hr |
| 98117 | King County | $2,280/mo | $76.36/hr |
| 98118 | King County | $1,990/mo | $65.53/hr |
| 98119 | King County | $2,250/mo | $75.24/hr |
| 98121 | King County | $2,980/mo | $101.89/hr |
| 98122 | King County | $2,590/mo | $87.93/hr |
| 98124 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98125 | King County | $2,170/mo | $72.25/hr |
| 98126 | King County | $1,860/mo | $60.76/hr |
| 98127 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98131 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98133 | King County | $2,120/mo | $70.39/hr |
| 98134 | King County | $1,810/mo | $58.95/hr |
| 98136 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98138 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98139 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98144 | King County | $2,170/mo | $72.25/hr |
| 98145 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98146 | King County | $1,820/mo | $59.31/hr |
| 98148 | King County | $1,850/mo | $60.40/hr |
| 98154 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98155 | King County | $2,110/mo | $70.01/hr |
| 98158 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98161 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98164 | King County | $1,930/mo | $63.30/hr |
| 98165 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98166 | King County | $1,840/mo | $60.03/hr |
| 98168 | King County | $1,880/mo | $61.48/hr |
| 98170 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98174 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98175 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98177 | King County | $2,250/mo | $75.24/hr |
| 98178 | King County | $1,990/mo | $65.53/hr |
| 98185 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98188 | King County | $1,690/mo | $54.60/hr |
| 98194 | King County | $2,130/mo | $70.76/hr |
| 98195 | King County | $2,290/mo | $76.73/hr |
| 98198 | King County | $1,810/mo | $58.95/hr |
| 98199 | King County | $2,470/mo | $83.45/hr |
Under the Four Times Rent standard, a full-time job in Seattle needs to pay at least $72.25 an hour before taxes, about $150,285 a year. That is the figure for King County, where the typical studio rent is $2,170 a month.
Yes. Across the 53 ZIP codes in Seattle with HUD rent figures, studio rents run from $1,690 to $2,980 a month. At the middle rent of $2,130, the pay needed would be $70.76 an hour.
The minimum wage in King County is $17.13 an hour. The Four Times Rent standard there is 4.2 times that.
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal and state income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent? · Method and data downloads