Below 200% Poverty Level

Black and American Indian/Alaska Native people are more than twice as likely to live in or near poverty than King County average.

From 2017-2021, 17.9% of King County residents had a household income less than 200% of the federal poverty level. In 2019, this would have been an annual income of less than $51,853 for a family of four including two children. 

• Age: People age 18-24 years (33.0%) were more likely to have an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level compared to all other age groups . At 24.4%, adults age 75 and older were more likely to have an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level than adults ages 25-74.  

• Gender: Women were more likely to have an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level than men (19.7% and 16.6% respectively). Groups that are impacted the most by the wage gap include women and people of color.  

• Race: American Indian/Alaska Native (41.7%), Black/African American (39.8%), Hispanic/Latinx (33.4%), and multiple race (20.3%) people were more likely to have an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level compared to the King County average, suggesting they are disproportionately experiencing income inequality.  

• Disability: People with a disability (33.4%) were more likely to have an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level than people without a disability (16.5%). 

• Region and city/neighborhood: People in South King County were more likely to live in households with incomes of less than 200% of the federal poverty level (23.4%) compared to all other regions. People in East King County had the lowest rate of being in or near poverty (10.1%). Among cities and neighborhoods, Seattle – University District (52.1%) and North Highline/White Center (38.4%) experienced the highest rates of people in households with an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level while Sammamish had the lowest rate (4.9%).  

• Trends: The proportion of King County residents who lived in households with an income less than 200% of the federal poverty level decreased from 2012 to 2019, then increased from 2019 to 2021. Washington State experienced an overall decrease from 2012 to 2021.