Highest-earning counties in Washington
The 2020 median household income in the U.S. was $67,521, a decrease of 2.9% from 2019. COVID-19 in 2020 drastically altered income and poverty levels, along with consumer habits and job opportunities.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-earning counties in Washington using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by 2020 5-year estimate median household income.
Data shows that annual annual income depends heavily on an individual's educational attainment, race, ethnicity, gender, and even location. One cluster of the United States is particularly well off: The five of the seven counties with the highest median household income in the country can be found in the Washington D.C. metropolitan areas of Maryland and Northern Virginia. These counties can likely attribute their wealth to their proximity to Washington D.C., which attracts highly educated and skilled people in areas of law and public policy. And people in those fields often marry each other, making two high-earning households one very high-earning household.
Keep reading to learn more about the highest-earning counties in Washington.
You may also like: Highest-paying jobs in Washington, D.C. that don't require a college degree
#39. Ferry County
- Median household income: $41,685
--- 45.9% below state average, 35.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.1%
--- #1,436 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 17.7%
--- #2,684 highest among all counties nationwide
#38. Whitman County
- Median household income: $42,288
--- 45.1% below state average, 34.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 19.5%
--- #1,690 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 20.3%
--- #2,624 highest among all counties nationwide
#37. Okanogan County
- Median household income: $48,528
--- 37.0% below state average, 25.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 16.1%
--- #2,306 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.2%
--- #2,092 highest among all counties nationwide
#36. Grays Harbor County
- Median household income: $50,665
--- 34.2% below state average, 22.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.5%
--- #1,874 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.5%
--- #1,861 highest among all counties nationwide
#35. Pacific County
- Median household income: $50,873
--- 33.9% below state average, 21.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.9%
--- #1,804 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 13.8%
--- #1,839 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Most popular baby names for boys of the last decade in Washington
#34. Adams County
- Median household income: $51,601
--- 33.0% below state average, 20.6% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 18.0%
--- #1,961 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.0%
--- #1,738 highest among all counties nationwide
#33. Asotin County
- Median household income: $53,941
--- 30.0% below state average, 17.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.6%
--- #1,333 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.7%
--- #1,449 highest among all counties nationwide
#32. Stevens County
- Median household income: $54,426
--- 29.3% below state average, 16.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.9%
--- #1,288 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 11.2%
--- #1,403 highest among all counties nationwide
#31. Wahkiakum County
- Median household income: $54,524
--- 29.2% below state average, 16.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 26.3%
--- #754 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.3%
--- #1,390 highest among all counties nationwide
#30. Yakima County
- Median household income: $54,917
--- 28.7% below state average, 15.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.7%
--- #1,488 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.5%
--- #1,351 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: What Washington's immigrant population looked like in 1900
#29. Lewis County
- Median household income: $54,970
--- 28.6% below state average, 15.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.2%
--- #1,406 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.2%
--- #1,346 highest among all counties nationwide
#28. Pend Oreille County
- Median household income: $55,021
--- 28.5% below state average, 15.3% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 20.0%
--- #1,607 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 9.9%
--- #1,341 highest among all counties nationwide
#27. Clallam County
- Median household income: $55,090
--- 28.5% below state average, 15.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 22.3%
--- #1,234 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.6%
--- #1,328 highest among all counties nationwide
#26. Klickitat County
- Median household income: $56,667
--- 26.4% below state average, 12.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 21.6%
--- #1,343 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.9%
--- #1,194 highest among all counties nationwide
#25. Garfield County
- Median household income: $56,923
--- 26.1% below state average, 12.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 15.8%
--- #2,366 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.0%
--- #1,168 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in Washington
#24. Jefferson County
- Median household income: $57,693
--- 25.1% below state average, 11.2% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 26.3%
--- #754 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.2%
--- #1,089 highest among all counties nationwide
#23. Lincoln County
- Median household income: $58,584
--- 23.9% below state average, 9.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.6%
--- #1,039 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.5%
--- #1,023 highest among all counties nationwide
#22. Cowlitz County
- Median household income: $58,791
--- 23.7% below state average, 9.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.5%
--- #1,057 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.2%
--- #1,011 highest among all counties nationwide
#21. Grant County
- Median household income: $59,165
--- 23.2% below state average, 9.0% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 23.5%
--- #1,057 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.4%
--- #979 highest among all counties nationwide
#20. Kittitas County
- Median household income: $59,703
--- 22.5% below state average, 8.1% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 26.4%
--- #741 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 12.1%
--- #916 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Counties with the oldest homes in Washington
#19. Spokane County
- Median household income: $60,101
--- 22.0% below state average, 7.5% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 26.1%
--- #767 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.1%
--- #883 highest among all counties nationwide
#18. Mason County
- Median household income: $60,565
--- 21.4% below state average, 6.8% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 25.2%
--- #854 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.9%
--- #847 highest among all counties nationwide
#17. Walla Walla County
- Median household income: $60,615
--- 21.3% below state average, 6.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 26.4%
--- #744 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.5%
--- #841 highest among all counties nationwide
#16. Chelan County
- Median household income: $61,304
--- 20.4% below state average, 5.7% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 27.7%
--- #651 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.0%
--- #802 highest among all counties nationwide
#15. Columbia County
- Median household income: $61,779
--- 19.8% below state average, 4.9% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 26.4%
--- #744 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.8%
--- #766 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Best counties to live in Washington
#14. San Juan County
- Median household income: $64,753
--- 15.9% below state average, 0.4% below national average
- Households earning over $100k: 31.7%
--- #410 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.4%
--- #593 highest among all counties nationwide
#13. Whatcom County
- Median household income: $65,420
--- 15.0% below state average, 0.7% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 28.9%
--- #554 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 10.2%
--- #552 highest among all counties nationwide
#12. Douglas County
- Median household income: $65,730
--- 14.6% below state average, 1.1% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 27.8%
--- #642 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.6%
--- #536 highest among all counties nationwide
#11. Franklin County
- Median household income: $66,904
--- 13.1% below state average, 2.9% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 31.2%
--- #424 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.1%
--- #495 highest among all counties nationwide
#10. Skamania County
- Median household income: $69,296
--- 10.0% below state average, 6.6% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 34.4%
--- #300 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 8.3%
--- #398 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Counties in Washington where people spend most of their paycheck on housing
#9. Island County
- Median household income: $70,765
--- 8.1% below state average, 8.9% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 31.3%
--- #421 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.1%
--- #355 highest among all counties nationwide
#8. Skagit County
- Median household income: $71,021
--- 7.8% below state average, 9.3% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 31.2%
--- #425 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.4%
--- #351 highest among all counties nationwide
#7. Benton County
- Median household income: $72,046
--- 6.4% below state average, 10.9% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 33.9%
--- #317 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.2%
--- #320 highest among all counties nationwide
#6. Thurston County
- Median household income: $75,867
--- 1.5% below state average, 16.7% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 34.5%
--- #294 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 7.1%
--- #247 highest among all counties nationwide
#5. Pierce County
- Median household income: $76,438
--- 0.7% below state average, 17.6% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 35.9%
--- #262 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.8%
--- #234 highest among all counties nationwide
You may also like: Best community colleges in Washington
#4. Clark County
- Median household income: $77,184
--- 0.2% above state average, 18.8% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 37.0%
--- #234 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.1%
--- #222 highest among all counties nationwide
#3. Kitsap County
- Median household income: $78,969
--- 2.5% above state average, 21.5% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 37.3%
--- #227 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.7%
--- #208 highest among all counties nationwide
#2. Snohomish County
- Median household income: $89,273
--- 15.9% above state average, 37.4% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 44.1%
--- #104 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 5.4%
--- #99 highest among all counties nationwide
#1. King County
- Median household income: $99,158
--- 28.8% above state average, 52.6% above national average
- Households earning over $100k: 49.6%
--- #52 highest among all counties nationwide
- Households earning less than $15k: 6.5%
--- #52 highest among all counties nationwide
