Metropolitan statistical area

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

WA  · 4.03M residents  · CBSA 42660

Total wealth · absolute mobility
76th percentile nationally

Higher is better.

County-by-county total wealth on absolute mobility. Color shows each county's position on the national distribution (how to read the map).

The five lenses at a glance

Each row shows where Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue sits on the national distribution for one economic concept across all three mobility measures.

Total income

All income a person receives, including wages and transfers.

  • α Absolute mobility 80th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 80th percentile
    this county national median

    39.63 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.

  • β Persistence 19th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 19th percentile
    this county national median

    0.27 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.

  • δ Extensive margin 85th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 85th percentile
    this county national median

    The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Labor income

Income earned from work (wages and salaries).

  • α Absolute mobility 77th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 77th percentile
    this county national median

    41.79 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.

  • β Persistence 24th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 24th percentile
    this county national median

    0.28 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.

  • δ Extensive margin 84th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 84th percentile
    this county national median

    11.48 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Homeownership

The probability of owning a home (the extensive margin of housing wealth).

  • α Absolute mobility 9th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 9th percentile
    this county national median

    50.43 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.

  • β Persistence 53rd percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 53th percentile
    this county national median

    0.40 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.

  • δ Extensive margin 97th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 97th percentile
    this county national median

    -0.66 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Housing wealth

The value of housing assets a person holds.

  • α Absolute mobility 74th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 74th percentile
    this county national median

    40.67 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.

  • β Persistence 83rd percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 83th percentile
    this county national median

    0.38 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.

  • δ Extensive margin 99th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 99th percentile
    this county national median

    4.71 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Total wealth

The total value of all assets a person holds.

  • α Absolute mobility 75th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 75th percentile
    this county national median

    45.37 — Higher means children who started at the bottom reach a higher rank on average.

  • β Persistence 75th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 75th percentile
    this county national median

    0.33 — Higher means rank sticks across generations — less mobility.

  • δ Extensive margin 88th percentile
    National median: 50th percentileThis county: 88th percentile
    this county national median

    9.50 — The gap for children whose parents had zero of the resource vs. the lowest positive amount.

Constituent counties (3)

Raw α / β / δ values for total wealth across each county in the metro.

CountyStateα (absolute mobility)β (persistence)δ (extensive margin)n
KingWA45.760.34512.2912500
PierceWA43.680.3137.697000
SnohomishWA46.680.3045.385400

About the data

These estimates are small-area (Fay–Herriot) county-level mobility statistics from the working paper Lands of Opportunity (Binder, Risch & Voorheis 2026, NBER WP 35219). Metro values shown here are population-weighted means of constituent county estimates. See the methodology page for a full description, and the user guide for how to navigate the explorer.