Income Needed to Buy a Home in Washington, by County
To buy a median-priced home in Western Washington with 10% down, you need a household income of roughly $146,000 in Mason County, $190,000 in Pierce County, $194,000 in Kitsap County and about $307,000 in King County. Those figures are my arithmetic on the NWMLS September 2026 county medians at Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.32% (October 22, 2026), with the full housing payment held to 28% of gross income. They're planning benchmarks, not loan approvals, and every assumption behind them is printed below so you can swap in your own.
When someone plans a move to Washington, one of the first questions is what income they need. My answer starts with another question: to buy where? The same math that says $146,000 in Shelton says more than double that in Seattle. So here's the county-by-county version, built the same way every time, with the parts that move (the rate, the down payment, your budget) pulled out so you can see what each one does.
Key Takeaways
- The answer depends on the county, not the state. Using the same model, the income benchmark runs from about $145,800 in Mason County to about $307,300 in King County.
- Kitsap takes about $193,900 and Pierce about $190,200 at their September 2026 medians of $591,900 and $580,000, with 10% down at 7.32%.
- The rate has moved since I filmed this. The video used an illustrative 6.5%. At today's 7.32%, the same $591,900 Kitsap home needs roughly $12,500 more income.
- 28% is my budgeting benchmark, not a lender's cutoff. Fannie Mae's guide caps total debt-to-income at 36% to 50% depending on how the loan is underwritten, and it sets no 28% housing ratio.
- Going from 10% to 20% down cuts the Kitsap benchmark by about $26,900 a year, but it costs another $59,190 in cash.
- Washington doesn't tax wages, but your paycheck still has state deductions. Paid Family and Medical Leave and WA Cares can take up to about 1.4% combined from covered workers.
Washington Is Six Markets, Not One
Search "salary needed to live in Washington" and you get one statewide figure. It won't help, because the price of the home you'd actually buy swings by half a million dollars depending on where you land.
Here are the September 2026 residential medians for the six Western Washington counties I compared in the video, all from the same NWMLS report.
| County | Median sale price, September 2026 | Change from a year earlier | Months of supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mason | $440,000 | 0.0% | 4.23 |
| Thurston | $536,950 | 0.0% | 3.64 |
| Pierce | $580,000 | +1.1% | 3.66 |
| Kitsap | $591,900 | +0.3% | 2.54 |
| Snohomish | $750,000 | 0.0% | 3.70 |
| King | $949,975 | -0.7% | 4.10 |
Source: NWMLS County Recaps, September 2026, residential only. Information and statistics compiled and reported by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.
See the numbers
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Mason | $440,000 |
| Thurston | $536,950 |
| Pierce | $580,000 |
| Kitsap | $591,900 |
| Snohomish | $750,000 |
| King | $949,975 |
Every county figure in this post comes from NWMLS's September 2026 County Recaps (the residential-only table unless I say condo), the same report I used in the video. NWMLS's county Local Market Update reports Kitsap at $595,000 and 3.0 months for the same month because it's a different report, as I explained in my read on September's inventory jump.
The Model, With Every Assumption on the Table
Every county gets the same treatment, so the only thing that changes from row to row is the price. Otherwise you couldn't tell whether a gap came from the house or from my spreadsheet.
| Input | What I used | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase price | County median, September 2026 | NWMLS County Recaps, quoted as published |
| Down payment | 10% | A common choice, not a requirement |
| Loan | 30-year fixed | |
| Interest rate | 7.32% | Freddie Mac PMMS average, October 22, 2026 |
| Property tax | 1% of the price per year | My assumption, not your tax bill |
| Homeowners insurance | $150 a month | My assumption, not a quote |
| Mortgage insurance | 0.5% of the loan per year | My assumption; real premiums vary with credit and down payment |
| HOA dues | None | Detached homes in these examples |
| Budget benchmark | Total housing payment at 28% of gross income | My rule of thumb, explained below |
The rate. Freddie Mac's survey had the 30-year fixed at 7.32% as of October 22, 2026, down from 7.40% the week before and up from 6.19% a year earlier. Your own rate depends on your credit, loan type and the day you lock.
Property tax. One percent is a round planning number, nothing more. Your actual bill depends on the taxing districts the parcel sits in, so two homes at the same price can carry different bills. Here's how to look up the real Kitsap number.
Mortgage insurance. On a conventional loan, Fannie Mae requires the lender to get primary mortgage insurance when the loan-to-value ratio is over 80%, so it's part of any 10% down loan. The 0.5% is my assumption; your lender prices the real figure.
Gross income. Every income number in this post is gross household income, before taxes and paycheck deductions. Budgeting from take-home pay is a different calculation.
The Income Needed in Each County at 7.32%
The payment is principal and interest plus my tax, insurance and mortgage insurance assumptions. The income is that payment times twelve, divided by 0.28.
| County | Median price | 10% down | Estimated monthly payment | Household income at 28% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason | $440,000 | $44,000 | $3,402 | $145,800 |
| Thurston | $536,950 | $53,695 | $4,118 | $176,500 |
| Pierce | $580,000 | $58,000 | $4,437 | $190,200 |
| Kitsap | $591,900 | $59,190 | $4,524 | $193,900 |
| Snohomish | $750,000 | $75,000 | $5,693 | $244,000 |
| King | $949,975 | $94,998 | $7,171 | $307,300 |
Source: My arithmetic on NWMLS County Recaps September 2026 residential medians and the Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year average of 7.32% (October 22, 2026). Assumes 1% annual property tax, $150 a month insurance, 0.5% annual mortgage insurance, and the full payment at 28% of gross income. Not a loan quote.
See the numbers
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Mason | $145,800 |
| Thurston | $176,500 |
| Pierce | $190,200 |
| Kitsap | $193,900 |
| Snohomish | $244,000 |
| King | $307,300 |
Closing costs and reserves come on top of the down payment, and they're not in this table.
Where the Kitsap payment goes
Here's the Kitsap line broken apart, so you can see which pieces you control.
| Piece of the payment | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Principal and interest on $532,710 at 7.32% | $3,659 |
| Property tax (1% assumption) | $493 |
| Homeowners insurance (assumption) | $150 |
| Mortgage insurance (0.5% assumption) | $222 |
| Total | $4,524 |
Principal and interest is about 81% of it. That's why the rate and the loan size matter more than anything else on the list.
What Changed Since I Filmed the Video
In the video I used an illustrative 6.5% rate so the county comparison wouldn't hinge on one week's rate. The model is identical, but today's Freddie Mac average is 7.32%, so here's how the benchmarks move.
| County | Benchmark in the video (6.5%) | Benchmark today (7.32%) |
|---|---|---|
| Mason | about $136,000 | $145,800 |
| Thurston | about $165,000 | $176,500 |
| Pierce | about $178,000 | $190,200 |
| Kitsap | about $181,000 | $193,900 |
| Snohomish | about $228,000 | $244,000 |
| King | about $287,000 | $307,300 |
The medians are the same ones I used on camera, so the only thing that changed is the rate. On the same $591,900 Kitsap median, the benchmark went from about $181,400 at 6.5% to $193,900 at 7.32%, roughly $12,500 more.
The rate effect is worth sitting with. A year ago the Freddie Mac average was 6.19%. At that rate, the same Kitsap home would need about $176,700 of household income. At 7.32% it needs $193,900. The house didn't get much more expensive in a year (the median is up 0.3%). The money to buy it did.
Kitsap, Pierce and Mason Up Close
Kitsap County
Kitsap's residential median was $591,900 in September, up 0.3% from a year earlier, on 331 closed sales with 842 active listings and about 2.5 months of supply. That's the tightest of the six counties. Prices also vary a lot inside the county, and my September 2026 Kitsap market report breaks it down town by town.
That spread matters for this post. A buyer earning $160,000 doesn't have a Kitsap problem. They have a "which part of Kitsap" question. I wrote up what $500K, $800K and $1.5M buy in Kitsap for exactly that reason.
Pierce County
Pierce's residential median was $580,000, up 1.1%, on 816 closed sales with 2,990 active listings and about 3.7 months of supply. The benchmark lands about $3,700 below Kitsap's, but the market is different. Pierce has more inventory relative to its pace of sales, so a prepared buyer has more to compare. That doesn't make every seller negotiable. It means you shouldn't assume the first good house is the only one.
Mason County
Mason's residential median was $440,000, flat from a year earlier, with about 4.2 months of supply. It has the lowest benchmark of the six, about $145,800. The trade is location. Shelton, Belfair, Union and Hoodsport sit farther from the big job centers, and a cheaper house isn't a better deal if the commute doesn't work. Map the actual drive at the actual time of day.
28% Is a Budget, Not a Loan Approval
This is the distinction I most want you to keep. The 28% in this post is my budgeting benchmark for the housing payment. It is not a universal approval cutoff.
Fannie Mae's Selling Guide limits the total debt-to-income ratio, meaning your housing payment plus your other monthly debts, divided by your gross monthly income:
| How the loan is underwritten | Maximum total debt-to-income ratio |
|---|---|
| Manually underwritten | 36%, or up to 45% if the borrower meets the guide's credit score and reserve requirements |
| Desktop Underwriter (automated) | 50% |
The guide sets no separate 28% housing ratio. FHA and VA loans use their own rules. A lender may approve a bigger payment than my benchmark, and some buyers won't qualify even at these incomes, because credit, other debts and the loan program all count.
A quick total-debt check
Take the Kitsap example. At $193,900 of household income, gross monthly income is about $16,158. Add an $800 car payment to the $4,524 housing payment and total debt comes to $5,324, or about 33% of gross income. That's inside the 36% manual limit. Add student loans and you approach the line fast. Size the house by the payment you can live with, not the maximum you can borrow.
Three ways to read the same payment
A lender approval is a financing decision. Your comfort level is a household decision. Don't confuse the two.
Here's the same Kitsap payment of $4,524 read at three different budget levels.
| Housing payment as a share of gross income | Household income needed |
|---|---|
| 28% | $193,900 |
| 25% | $217,200 |
| 20% | $271,400 |
Same house, same rate, three different answers. Which one fits you depends on the expenses a mortgage calculator never sees: child care, health care, retirement savings, travel, the truck that's going to need a transmission. Plenty of my buyers land below 28% on purpose, and they're glad when the first big repair shows up.
The 20% Down Trade
The other big lever is the down payment. Keep the Kitsap median and the 7.32% rate, and go from 10% down to 20% down.
| 10% down | 20% down | |
|---|---|---|
| Down payment | $59,190 | $118,380 |
| Loan | $532,710 | $473,520 |
| Principal and interest | $3,659 | $3,253 |
| Mortgage insurance (assumption) | $222 | $0 |
| Estimated monthly payment | $4,524 | $3,896 |
| Household income at 28% | $193,900 | $167,000 |
The payment drops by $628 a month and the income benchmark falls by about $26,900 a year. Part of that is the smaller loan. The rest is dropping the mortgage insurance, since a 20% down conventional loan sits at 80% loan-to-value.
But this isn't free affordability. It's another $59,190 of cash in exchange for a lower payment. If it empties your reserves, the smaller mortgage may not be the smarter plan.
If the down payment is the hard part, see what Washington's assistance programs actually offer. I checked the current terms in Washington first-time buyer programs.
Working Backward From Your Income
Most people start with a paycheck, not a median. So here's the same model in reverse: the price a household income supports at 28%, with 10% down at 7.32% and the same tax, insurance and mortgage insurance assumptions.
| Gross household income | Monthly housing budget at 28% | Approximate price it supports |
|---|---|---|
| $100,000 | $2,333 | $295,400 |
| $125,000 | $2,917 | $374,300 |
| $150,000 | $3,500 | $453,300 |
| $175,000 | $4,083 | $532,200 |
| $200,000 | $4,667 | $611,100 |
A $150,000 household sits right around the Mason median and below Kitsap's. At $200,000 you're just above the Kitsap and Pierce medians. That doesn't mean $150,000 can't buy in Kitsap. It means shopping below the median, in the parts of the county where prices sit lower, or changing another input.
Another property type
Condos are one of those inputs. In Pierce County, the September 2026 condo median was $367,000, with about 6.1 months of supply, according to NWMLS's County Recaps. Using the same model plus an illustrative $500 a month in HOA dues, that's an estimated payment of about $3,363 and an income benchmark of about $144,100. The dues on any real condo can be higher or lower, and condo insurance works differently, so treat that as an example, not a promise. Kitsap's condo market is thin by comparison (20 closed condo sales in September), so I wouldn't lean on its median.
Washington Paycheck Deductions to Plan For
Washington doesn't tax wages, which matters if you're relocating from a state that does. I won't give you a blanket claim that a salary here equals a bigger one in California or Oregon, because that depends on your filing status, deductions and the state you're leaving. What I can tell you is that a Washington paycheck still has state deductions.
| Program | 2026 employee cost | Wage limit |
|---|---|---|
| Paid Family and Medical Leave | Total premium is 1.13% of wages; employers can pass up to 71.43% of it to employees, about 0.81% of wages (my arithmetic) | Stops at the Social Security cap, $184,500 in 2026 |
| WA Cares Fund | 0.58% of wages | No cap |
On $100,000 of covered wages, that's up to roughly $807 for Paid Leave and $580 for WA Cares, about $1,387 a year (my arithmetic). Not a deal-breaker, but it's real money, and it's one more reason to budget from the complete picture instead of one tax line.
When a Bigger Budget Changes the Loan
One more number matters once your search price climbs: the conforming loan limit. Above it, you're in jumbo territory, where pricing and down payment rules can differ. FHFA's 2026 one-unit limits for these counties:
| Counties | 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit | Price where 10% down crosses it (my arithmetic) |
|---|---|---|
| Kitsap, Mason, Thurston | $832,750 | about $925,300 |
| Pierce, Snohomish, King | $1,063,750 | about $1,181,900 |
Pierce, King and Snohomish share the higher limit because they're in the same metro area. Every median example here stays under its limit. If you're shopping Kitsap waterfront above $925,000 with 10% down, ask your lender early how a jumbo loan changes things, and compare lenders, because jumbo rates don't always track the Freddie Mac average.
How Much Income Do You Need to Buy a Home in Kitsap County?
At Kitsap County's September 2026 residential median of $591,900, with 10% down at 7.32% (the Freddie Mac average as of October 22, 2026), the estimated payment is about $4,524 a month including assumed taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance. Keeping that to 28% of gross income takes about $193,900 a year, or about $167,000 with 20% down. That's my planning arithmetic, not a loan approval.
How Much Income Do You Need to Buy a Home in Pierce County?
Pierce County's September 2026 median was $580,000. With 10% down at 7.32%, plus assumed taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance, the estimated payment is about $4,437 a month, which takes roughly $190,200 of household income at a 28% budget. Buying below the median, or a condo (the Pierce condo median was $367,000), brings that down.
Is 28% of Gross Income the Mortgage Approval Limit in Washington?
No. Twenty-eight percent is the budgeting benchmark I use for planning, not the approval rule. On a conventional loan, Fannie Mae's Selling Guide caps total debt-to-income at 36% for manually underwritten loans (up to 45% with qualifying credit and reserves) and 50% for loans run through Desktop Underwriter. It sets no separate 28% housing ratio. FHA and VA have their own rules.
What Is the 2026 Conforming Loan Limit in Kitsap and Pierce County?
FHFA's 2026 one-unit conforming loan limit is $832,750 in Kitsap County, the national baseline, and $1,063,750 in Pierce County, which shares the Seattle metro area's higher limit with King and Snohomish. Mason and Thurston are at $832,750. A loan above the limit is a jumbo loan, which can carry different pricing and down payment requirements.
Final Thoughts
The honest answer to "what income do I need to buy in Washington" is a range: about $146,000 in Mason County to about $307,000 in King County at today's rate, with Kitsap and Pierce in the low $190,000s at their medians. Those are benchmarks, not salary requirements.
Your real answer comes from three dials you control: where you buy, how much you put down, and what share of your income goes to housing. Turn them on purpose. And don't just ask what salary it takes to live in Washington. Ask where your budget buys the life you want.
County market figures are from the NWMLS County Recaps for September 2026 (residential, plus the condo table for condo figures). Information and statistics compiled and reported by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The rate is the Freddie Mac PMMS average as of October 22, 2026, and updates weekly. Payment and income figures are my arithmetic on stated assumptions, not a loan quote or approval. Loan rules are from Fannie Mae's Selling Guide, loan limits from FHFA, and payroll premiums from the Washington Employment Security Department. This isn't financial, tax or legal advice. Confirm loan terms with your lender and tax figures with your county assessor.
Want this math run on your numbers?
Bring me your real down payment, your debts and the monthly payment you want to live with, and I'll show you which counties and which neighborhoods fit, and coordinate with your lender on the financing. Book a no-pressure call or reach me at (360) 777-7212.
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