Residential comparison · 13 facts
San Jose, CA vs Seattle, WA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in San Jose needs about $70,000 in Seattle to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Seattle, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $101,000 in San Jose.
A few differences
- San Jose is lower on property tax rate (0.75% vs 0.9%).
- San Jose is lower on sales tax (9.38% vs 10.25%).
- Seattle is lower on groceries index (112 vs 114).
San Jose vs Seattle · facet by facet
| Facet | San Jose, CA | Seattle, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,450,000 | $850,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,550/mo | $2,800/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.9% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.38% | 10.25% |
| Cost of living index | 168 | 149 |
| Groceries index | 114 | 112 |
| Utilities | $230/mo | $210/mo |
| Median household income | $133,000 | $116,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.1% |
| Crime index | 36/100 | 46/100 |
| School rating | 7.5/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 257 days | 152 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: San Jose, CA · Seattle, WA
Questions & answers
- Is San Jose cheaper than Seattle?
- Seattle has the lower day-to-day cost index (149 vs 168 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Seattle equals $85,000 in San Jose?
- A household earning $85,000 in San Jose needs about $70,000 in Seattle to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Seattle lifestyle costs about $101,000 in San Jose.