$80,000 in Washington
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Washington.
Occupations near $80,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $80,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Truck driver (heavy) | senior | $80,000 |
| Lawyer | entry-level | $79,000 |
| Accountant | mid-career | $81,680 |
| Petroleum engineer | entry-level | $84,000 |
| Air traffic controller | entry-level | $75,000 |
| Police officer | mid-career | $74,910 |
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 $80,000 typically means a truck driver (heavy) or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Washington.
Two earners at $40,000 each combined = $80,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $80,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Washington
At $80,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 27% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $80,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $80,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $215,850. Washington median home value is $558,600 — you can afford 39% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $80,000 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 | -15% | 44th |
| Idaho | $74,636 | +7% | 53th |
| Oregon | $80,426 | -1% | 50th |
$80,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Washington
Common questions
- Is $80,000 a good household income in Washington?
- It's at roughly the 44th percentile for Washington after adjusting for the state's median income ($94,605). Nationally that's about the 50th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $80,000 compare to the Washington median?
- It's 15% below 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.