MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Study: Bellevue, Seattle among cities where ‘you’re broke earning $100K’

Oct 14, 2019, 10:38 AM

A new study released by GOBankingRates says Seattle and Bellevue are among 25 US cities where earning $100,000 a year isn’t enough to cover basic living expenses.

Report: Seattle rent prices among highest in the entire country

The study says many affluent cities that produce the highest salaries have also seen basic costs of living climb higher and higher.

A $100,000 salary might be seen as a “rich” person’s salary in other cities, but not so in Bellevue and Seattle, it says.

According to the study, those who earn $100,000 a year in Seattle would be just over $24,000 short at the end of the year.

  • Metro area: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
  • Average monthly rent: $2,238
  • Overall annual expenditures: $124,062.60
  • Amount left over from $100,000: -$24,062.60

As for Bellevue, the study’s data shows you would be nearly $41,000 short on a $100,000 salary.

  • Metro area: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
  • Average monthly rent: $2,421
  • Overall annual expenditures: $140,908.36
  • Amount left over from $100,000: -$40,908.36

Seattle came in at number 10 on the list while Bellevue reached number 5.

Report: Seattle renters flock to Portland as growing tech hub

GOBankingRates says 17 of the 25 cities identified in the study are in California, including Sunnyvale, which took the number one spot, where a resident earning $100,000 a year would be $138,333.99 in the hole after expenses.

MyNorthwest News

...

Jason Sutich

VIDEO: Speeding driver arrested after 3-car crash in downtown Bellevue

A 25-year-old man was arrested for vehicular assault after a high-speed crash involving three vehicles in downtown Bellevue on Saturday night.

1 hour ago

Moses lake starbucks crash...

Jason Sutich

Driver ‘screwing around’ crashes truck into Moses Lake Starbucks, at least 1 injured

A man drove a pickup truck into the drive-through of a Moses Lake Starbucks on Saturday, causing significant damage to the coffee shop and his vehicle.

3 hours ago

snohomish standoff fire knife...

Jason Sutich

Suspect allegedly held knife to residents, set house on fire in Snohomish County standoff

A man was arrested in Snohomish County after he allegedly held a knife against residents of a home, barricaded himself inside, and set the house on fire.

4 hours ago

power outage peninsula fire...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Power restored to 22K as Peninsula Light Company reports ‘Majority Territory Outage’ due to fire

Almost 23,000 Peninsula Light Company customers were without power on Sunday due to a fire response.

5 hours ago

yakima...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Yakima man sentenced for murder of Yakama Nation man

Antonio Montellano, 44, was sentenced to more than 25 years in prison for the murder of a Yakama Nation man in January 2025.

5 hours ago

e-bike...

Tim Hohl

Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital on pace to double e-bike injuries among kids this year

Mary Bridge Children's Hospital said it's on pace to more than double last year's number of children treated for e-bike and e-scooter trauma injuries.

5 hours ago

Study: Bellevue, Seattle among cities where ‘you’re broke earning $100K’