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People who plan to move to Washington State and buy a home often wonder how Seattle compares to other major cities, in terms of home prices.
While it’s not the capital, Seattle is arguably the best-known city in the state of Washington. But how does it compare to other cities when it comes to housing costs?
To answer this question, we used median home price data provided by Zillow. The results show that there’s a pretty broad spectrum of house values across the state of Washington. Let’s take a closer look at Seattle vs other cities in Washington to see how they compare.
Let’s start with the state as a whole. In 2025, the median home value for Washington was around $604,000, according to data from Zillow.
Seattle metro home prices are much higher today than just a few years ago, and the home-buying frenzy of 2020 to 2023 had a lot to do with that. From 2020 to 2025, the statewide median home value rose from $421,388 to $603,837. That’s a 43% increase in just five years.
But when we drill down to the individual cities, we find a much broader pricing spectrum.
As you can see, Bellevue home prices are some of the highest among the major cities, and by a fairly wide margin.
At the other end of the spectrum, the eastern Washington city of Spokane has some of the lowest home prices in the state. The neighboring city of Spokane Valley also has fairly low house values by Washington standards.
(Note: These numbers will likely change by the time you read this guide. But they’ll still help you understand how the different cities compare to one another in terms of affordability.)
Next, we zoom in on the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area to analyze the home-price spectrum among major cities in the region.
The median price for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area as a whole is currently around $761,000. But here again, we can find a lot of diversity if we look at individual cities.
Key insights and conclusions we can draw from the above data:
There’s a considerable spread in median home values across cities located in the Seattle metro area. They range from a relatively affordable $490,080 in Tacoma to a whopping $1,698,648 in Sammamish. Home buyers have diverse housing options and price points to choose from.
Many people who are exploring this area assume that Seattle is the most expensive city in terms of home prices. After all, it’s called the “Seattle metro area.” So it’s natural to think that the most prominent city would have the highest home prices.
But that’s not the case. The median home value in Seattle is currently $887,994, placing it on the higher end but not the most expensive in the metro area.
For those who aren’t familiar with the term, the “Eastside” refers to the cluster of cities located east of Lake Washington, across the lake from the city of Seattle. The Eastside Seattle housing market includes the cities of Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Sammamish, and Bothell, among others.
This region is known for its thriving tech industry, home to major companies like Microsoft as well as fast-growing startups. It also has a generally higher cost of living compared to areas south of Seattle.
Several Eastside cities have median home values that exceed the $1 million mark. These include Bellevue ($1,549,879), Bothell ($1,106,163), Issaquah ($1,164,604), Kirkland ($1,307,123), Redmond ($1,450,814), and Sammamish ($1,698,648).
Some of the cities located south of Seattle offer more affordable options for home buyers who want to stay within the metro area. They include Auburn ($613,546), Federal Way ($601,318), Kent ($657,046), and especially Tacoma ($490,080).
Tacoma is the most affordable housing market in the Seattle metro area, when compared to other sizable cities. So it naturally attracts home buyers with smaller budgets and limited savings. It’s much easier to find Tacoma affordable homes compared to almost all other cities in the area.
We’ve covered a lot of data and information in this guide. Here are some of the most important takeaways regarding home prices in Seattle vs other cities in WA:
Is the Seattle housing market currently a buyer’s or seller’s market?
As of early 2025, Seattle remains slightly tilted toward a seller’s market due to limited housing inventory and sustained buyer demand—though it’s less competitive than in previous years. Some neighborhoods may offer more balanced conditions.
What is the median home price in the Seattle metro area?
As of Q1 2025, the median home price in the Seattle metro is approximately $887,000, but this varies significantly by neighborhood.
Are home prices in Seattle expected to go up or down in 2025?
Most forecasts predict modest price growth (1–3%) in 2025, driven by limited supply and resilient demand, especially for single-family homes in desirable school districts and near major employers like Amazon and Microsoft.
How high are property taxes in the Seattle area?
King County property taxes average 1.0% to 1.1% of assessed value. For a home valued at $850,000, expect around $8,500 to $9,350 annually.
What are the most affordable neighborhoods in the Seattle metro?
More budget-friendly areas include South Seattle (e.g., Rainier Valley), Renton, Federal Way, and parts of Tacoma. These areas offer more attainable prices and access to public transit or freeways.
What factors are driving Seattle’s housing demand?
Key drivers include high-paying tech jobs (Amazon, Microsoft, Google), strong in-migration of skilled workers, lifestyle appeal (proximity to nature, quality of life), and limited land for new construction
Is now a good time to buy in Seattle?
If you plan to stay for 5+ years, buying now could make sense, especially with mortgage rates showing signs of stabilization and home values likely to appreciate modestly. Buyers may also face less competition than during the peak pandemic years.
In summary, median home prices in Seattle are certainly much higher than nearby areas. However, there are still other cities in the state that are much more expensive. If you’re looking for the conveniences of Seattle but at a much lower price point, you have options.
Sammamish Mortgage has been serving home buyers across the state of Washington for over 30 years. If you’re looking to buy in Seattle, WA, we can help. At Sammamish Mortgage, we offer various mortgage options for you to choose from. Visit our website to get an instant rate quote or call us today to have your mortgage questions answered!
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.