Medina, WA vs Seattle, WA
Side-by-side comparison · Updated Jun 2026
Report card
| Category | MedinaMedina, WA | SeattleSeattle, WA | Same grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| ReloScoreOverall grade | |||
| Affluence | Elite | Good | |
| Cost of Living | Same | ||
| Crime | Very Safe | High Risk | |
| Education | Same | ||
| Quality of Life | Great | Good | |
| Sovereignty | Self-Reliant | Self-Reliant | Same |
| Strategic | High Risk | High Risk | Same |
Grades rate each place against all US places. How grades work →
Comparison summary
At 502 property crimes per 100,000 people, Medina, WA and Seattle, WA diverge sharply on safety metrics in the 2025 FBI data, with Seattle recording 4,424 property crimes per 100,000 people—8.8× higher—and 697 violent crimes versus Medina’s 33, a 663 difference. Seattle’s violent crime rate sits in the 93rd percentile, while Medina’s is in the 6th percentile; property crime percentiles are 98th and 11th, respectively. The 5-year violent crime trend also moves in opposite directions, rising in Medina and falling in Seattle.
Population scales differ enormously: 2023 Census figures show Seattle at 741,440 residents, which is 738,551 more than Medina’s 2,889, placing Seattle in the 99th percentile and Medina in the 13th. Household composition follows, with Medina’s average household size of 2.9 in the 85th percentile versus Seattle’s 2.0 in the 6th percentile, a 41% gap. Median age is 47.5 in Medina (90th percentile) compared to 35.5 in Seattle (29th percentile), a 12.0-year difference.
Income and poverty also separate the two. Median household income in Medina is $249,688, roughly 2.0× higher than Seattle’s $121,984, with percentiles of 99th and 89th. Poverty rates are 4.5% in Medina versus 9.9% in Seattle, a 5.4-point gap. Both places share identical unemployment at 4.2%, job growth at -0.4%, and a 27-minute average commute in 2023 figures.
AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them. Generated Oct 2026.
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Where they differ most
Cost of living
| Metric | Medina, WA | Seattle, WA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| COL indexCost of living index (100 = US) | 46499th pctl | 23394th pctl | Cost of living index (100 = US): Medina, WA 464; Seattle, WA 233; Medina is 99% higher. |
| Home valueMedian home value | $2,000,00199th pctl | $912,10095th pctl | Median home value: Medina, WA $2,000,001; Seattle, WA $912,100; Medina is 2.2 times higher. |
| Median rent | $3,501100th pctl | $1,99891st pctl | Median rent: Medina, WA $3,501; Seattle, WA $1,998; Medina is 75% higher. |
| Household incomeMedian household income | $249,68899th pctl | $121,98489th pctl | Median household income: Medina, WA $249,688; Seattle, WA $121,984; Medina is 2.0 times higher. |
| Comfortable (single)Comfortable income (single) | $388,56599th pctl | $164,14695th pctl | Comfortable income (single): Medina, WA $388,565; Seattle, WA $164,146; Medina is 2.4 times higher. |
| Comfortable (family)Comfortable income (family of 4) | $571,19099th pctl | $241,29595th pctl | Comfortable income (family of 4): Medina, WA $571,190; Seattle, WA $241,295; Medina is 2.4 times higher. |
| AffordabilityHousing affordability | Unaffordable | Unaffordable | About the same |
Housing-adjusted salary
the same housing budget in Seattle needs about
$37,700
Based only on local housing costs and incomes (cost-of-living index 464 vs 233). Leaves out taxes, groceries and transport. How it works →
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
Jobs & income
| Metric | Medina, WA | Seattle, WA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment | 4.2%74th pctl | 4.2%74th pctl | About the same |
| Job growthJob growth (YoY) | -0.4%13th pctl | -0.4%13th pctl | About the same |
| Per-capita income | $163,52599th pctl | $82,50894th pctl | Per-capita income: Medina, WA $163,525; Seattle, WA $82,508; Medina is 98% higher. |
| Poverty rate | 4.5%11th pctl | 9.9%41st pctl | Poverty rate: Medina, WA 4.5%; Seattle, WA 9.9%; Seattle is 5.4 points higher. |
| CommuteAverage commute | 27 min74th pctl | 26.6 min71st pctl | About the same |
| Work from home | 32.3%97th pctl | 31.3%96th pctl | About the same |
| OpportunityEconomic opportunity | Strong | Strong | Economic opportunity: Medina, WA A+; Seattle, WA B+; Medina is graded higher. |
| Job market | Stable | Stable | About the same |
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
Safety
| Metric | Medina, WA | Seattle, WA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimeViolent crime per 100k | 336th pctl | 69793rd pctl | Violent crime per 100k: Medina, WA 33; Seattle, WA 697; Seattle is 663 higher. |
| Property crimeProperty crime per 100k | 50211th pctl | 4,42498th pctl | Property crime per 100k: Medina, WA 502; Seattle, WA 4,424; Seattle is 8.8 times higher. |
| 5-yr trendViolent crime, 5-yr trend | Rising | Falling | |
| Crime & safety | Very Safe | Dangerous | Crime & safety: Medina, WA A+; Seattle, WA F; Medina is graded higher. |
| Traffic safety | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | SafeCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
Data: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
Quality of life
| Metric | Medina, WA | Seattle, WA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air quality | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | GreatCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| HealthcareHealthcare access | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | ExcellentCounty figure. County-level figure: measured for the surrounding county. | About the same |
| Tap water | Clean | Clean | About the same |
| Power grid | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | ReliableState figure. State-level figure: the local figure isn't published. | About the same |
| HomesteadingHomesteading potential | Prime | Prime | About the same |
| Disaster riskNational disaster risk | High-Risk | High-Risk | About the same |
4 rows not shown (data not available)
4 rows not shown: climate comfort, broadband, walkability and local food access aren't available for either place.
Data: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
Taxes & laws
Both are in Washington, so state taxes and state laws (homeschooling, firearms, property rights) are the same. See Washington →
Strategic location
How exposed each place is to large-scale disruption, based on distance from big cities, likely targets and natural hazards.
| Metric | Medina, WA | Seattle, WA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Large cityNearest large city | 4 mi3rd pctl | 1 mi1st pctl | Nearest large city: Medina, WA 4 mi; Seattle, WA 1 mi; Medina is 3.4 times higher. |
| Target proximity | Weak | Poor | Target proximity: Medina, WA C; Seattle, WA D+; Medina is graded higher. |
| To borderDistance to international border | 95 mi9th pctl | 95 mi9th pctl | About the same |
| To coastDistance to coastline | 4 mi5th pctl | 0 mi0th pctl | Distance to coastline: Medina, WA 4 mi; Seattle, WA 0 mi; Medina is higher (Seattle: 0 mi). |
| StrategicStrategic location | High Risk | High Risk | About the same |
Data: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
People
| Metric | Medina, WA | Seattle, WA | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,88913th pctl | 741,44099th pctl | Population: Medina, WA 2,889; Seattle, WA 741,440; Seattle is 738,551 larger. |
| DensityPopulation density (per sq mi) | 2,01361st pctl | 8,82497th pctl | Population density (per sq mi): Medina, WA 2,013; Seattle, WA 8,824; Seattle is 4.4 times higher. |
| Median age | 47.590th pctl | 35.529th pctl | Median age: Medina, WA 47.5; Seattle, WA 35.5; Medina is 12.0 years older. |
| Bachelor's+Bachelor's degree or higher | 88.2%100th pctl | 67.5%93rd pctl | Bachelor's degree or higher: Medina, WA 88.2%; Seattle, WA 67.5%; Medina is 20.7 points higher. |
| Household sizeAverage household size | 2.985th pctl | 26th pctl | Average household size: Medina, WA 2.9; Seattle, WA 2; Medina is 41% larger. |
More about Medina's residents · Seattle's residents
Data: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
Politics
Information only. Not part of any grade, difference or summary on this page.
Moving between Medina and Seattle
- Median rent: $3,501 in Medina, $1,998 in Seattle
- Median home value: $2,000,001 in Medina, $912,100 in Seattle
- Cost of living index (100 = US): 464 in Medina, 233 in Seattle
- Median household income: $249,688 in Medina, $121,984 in Seattle
- Comfortable income (family of 4): $571,190 in Medina, $241,295 in Seattle
- Unemployment: 4.2% in Medina, 4.2% in Seattle
- Average commute: 27 min in Medina, 26.6 min in Seattle
- Violent crime per 100k: 33 in Medina, 697 in Seattle
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- Data: Cost of living: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, ReloMaps cost-of-living index (2023–2024).
- Data: Jobs & income: U.S. Census ACS 5-year, BLS (2023).
- Data: Safety: FBI Crime Data, NHTSA FARS (2025).
- Data: Quality of life: EPA AirData, NOAA NCEI, County Health Rankings, FCC, Geoapify POIs, EPA SDWIS, EIA, OpenStreetMap, FEMA National Risk Index (2022–2024).
- Data: Strategic location: ReloMaps strategic assessment.
- Data: People: U.S. Census ACS 5-year (2023).
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area.
Narrative content on this page is AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Verify any details that matter before acting on them.
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