Home Affordability in King County, WA
A typical home in King County is worth $835,385, down 2% year over year. The effective property tax rate is 0.84% of value, and the 2026 conforming loan limit here is $1,063,750 — borrow more than that and you need a jumbo loan.
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Assumes housing costs stay at 33% of gross income — the sustainable middle, not the maximum a lender would approve. A typical home in King County costs $835,385. Rates as of 5 September 2026; they move weekly and your quote will differ.
What each income buys here
| Household income | Conventional | VA | Zero-down CU | FHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $299,000 | $248,000 | $227,000 | $242,000 |
| $100,000 | $417,000 | $345,000 | $316,000 | $337,000 |
| $125,000 | $534,000 | $442,000 | $405,000 | $432,000 |
| $150,000 | $651,000 | $538,000 | $494,000 | $526,000 |
| $200,000 | $886,000 | $732,000 | $672,000 | $716,000 |
Conventional assumes 20% down. VA and credit-union 100% financing assume zero down with the funding fee financed into the loan; FHA assumes 3.5% down with mortgage insurance for the life of the loan. All hold housing at 33% of gross income and cap total debt at the program’s underwriting limit.
Towns in King County
| Town | Typical home | Year over year | Income needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $833,192 | -1.6% | $189,000 | Details |
| Bellevue | $1,418,231 | -3.9% | $314,000 | Details |
| Renton | $731,654 | -1.9% | $167,000 | Details |
| Kent | $635,965 | -1.1% | $147,000 | Details |
| Auburn | $598,170 | -0.3% | $139,000 | Details |
| Federal Way | $586,172 | -0.5% | $136,000 | Details |
| Redmond | $1,315,884 | -3.9% | $292,000 | Details |
| Kirkland | $1,178,291 | -5.2% | $262,000 | Details |
| Sammamish | $1,516,014 | -5.3% | $334,000 | Details |
| Shoreline | $785,498 | -2.4% | $179,000 | Details |
| Issaquah | $1,106,442 | -2.3% | $247,000 | Details |
| Burien | $631,188 | -0.4% | $146,000 | Details |
| Woodinville | $1,316,778 | -3.3% | $292,000 | Details |
| Maple Valley | $770,918 | -2.2% | $176,000 | Details |
| Seatac | $577,720 | -0.2% | $134,000 | Details |
| Des Moines | $597,964 | -0.5% | $139,000 | Details |
| Mercer Island | $2,257,926 | -0.8% | $493,000 | Details |
| Kenmore | $987,284 | -4.1% | $222,000 | Details |
| Tukwila | $566,489 | -0.3% | $132,000 | Details |
| Enumclaw | $665,795 | -0.3% | $153,000 | Details |
| Covington | $652,689 | -1.9% | $150,000 | Details |
| Bryn Mawr-Skyway | $651,043 | -2.2% | $150,000 | Details |
| North Bend | $989,637 | -1% | $222,000 | Details |
| Snoqualmie | $1,061,472 | -2.7% | $237,000 | Details |
| Lake Forest Park | $1,001,406 | -1.5% | $225,000 | Details |
| Duvall | $930,832 | -2.3% | $210,000 | Details |
| Newcastle | $1,348,576 | -1.5% | $299,000 | Details |
| Carnation | $979,198 | -1% | $220,000 | Details |
| Vashon | $885,744 | -2.1% | $200,000 | Details |
| Ravensdale | $862,944 | -1.9% | $195,000 | Details |
| Black Diamond | $750,277 | -3% | $171,000 | Details |
| Normandy Park | $1,021,088 | +0.2% | $229,000 | Details |
| Fall City | $1,160,963 | -0.6% | $259,000 | Details |
| Pacific | $545,355 | -0.5% | $127,000 | Details |
| Algona | $520,170 | -1.4% | $122,000 | Details |
| Riverton-Boulevard Park | $518,778 | +0.3% | $122,000 | Details |
| Clyde Hill | $4,009,625 | -2.2% | $866,000 | Details |
| Medina | $4,499,887 | -1.4% | $970,000 | Details |
| Yarrow Point | $4,292,039 | -2.4% | $926,000 | Details |
| Hunts Point | $7,600,029 | +0.4% | $1,631,000 | Details |
Showing the 40 largest of 43 places.
The cheapest places in the county are Skykomish ($477K), Riverton-Boulevard Park ($519K), Algona ($520K).
How the zero-down math actually works
Putting nothing down does not simply move the down payment to zero — it costs you twice. Zero-down programs price above conventional, and they finance a funding fee into the balance, so you start out owing more than the house cost. In King County that difference is worth roughly $157K of purchasing power at a $150,000 income.
The exception is the VA loan. If anyone on the loan is Active Duty, Reserve, or a Veteran, it prices below conventional and charges no mortgage insurance — and the funding fee is waived entirely with any VA disability rating. It is almost always the cheapest zero-down option, and it is worth about $44K more house than a credit-union 100% loan here.