City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Seattle, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 13.6% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $113,600 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.6% moving from Richmond, VA to Seattle, WA ($111,183 → $119,630), while prices change by +13.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Richmond, VA | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 111.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,566 in Seattle | $88,055 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $2,146/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $72,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 151.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 104.0 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 92.8 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 106.8 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 111.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.9%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
26 Weak offer
Seattle, WA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Seattle, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Seattle, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Seattle, WA | Real change, Richmond → Seattle |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $69,373 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $83,935 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $100,602 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $119,630 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $141,367 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Seattle, WA | Seattle pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $102,920 | $90,626 (+47.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $167,280 | $147,298 (+11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $99,370 | $87,500 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $128,260 | $112,939 (+20.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.