$250,000 in Washington
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Washington.
Occupations near $250,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $250,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | entry-level | $250,000 |
| Anesthesiologist | entry-level | $248,000 |
| Lawyer | senior | $240,000 |
| Financial manager | senior | $240,000 |
| Marketing manager | senior | $240,000 |
| Dentist | senior | $235,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $250,000 typically means a surgeon or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Washington.
Two earners at $125,000 each combined = $250,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $250,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Washington
At $250,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 9% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $250,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $250,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $674,532. Washington median home value is $558,600 — you can afford 121% of the median home, so buying statewide is realistic.
How $250,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Washington's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington (current) | $94,605 | +164% | 87th |
| Idaho | $74,636 | +235% | 93th |
| Oregon | $80,426 | +211% | 91th |
$250,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Washington
Common questions
- Is $250,000 a good household income in Washington?
- It's at roughly the 87th percentile for Washington after adjusting for the state's median income ($94,605). Nationally that's about the 91th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $250,000 compare to the Washington median?
- It's 164% above the Washington median household income of $94,605 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Washington households earn less than $94,605, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.