New York vs Seattle
Two markets on the list for people leaving LA. Here's how they stack up on price, pace and taxes, measured against what a typical LA home sells for.
| New York, NY | Seattle, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $899K | $901K |
| Median single-family | $795K | $1.17M |
| Median condo | $830K | $503K |
| Median $/sq ft | $639 | $571 |
| Median days on market | 68 | 11 |
| Avg sale-to-list | 98.3% | 100.8% |
| Sq ft for $1M (at median $/sq ft) | 1,560 | 1,750 |
| Californians who moved to the state (2024) | 31,367 | 43,938 |
Redfin Data Center, May 2026, all residential unless noted. Typical LA County zip for reference: $904K median, $588/sq ft, 44 median days on market. Mover counts: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2024, estimates with margins of error.
The short version
At the median, New York and Seattle are priced about the same: $899K versus $901K (Redfin, May 2026). $1 million covers roughly 1,750 square feet in Seattle at the median price per square foot, versus about 1,560 in New York. Seattle homes have been moving faster, 11 median days on market versus 68 in New York. New York has a progressive income tax with rates from 4% to a top rate of 10.9%. Washington has no personal income tax on wages. In 2024 about 31,000 Californians moved to New York and about 44,000 to Washington (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
Taxes
New York: Progressive, 4% to 10.9% (New York City adds its own income tax). Seattle: None on wages (Washington has no personal income tax on wages). Property tax, insurance and HOA costs vary by address in both places and can matter as much as income tax, so price them for any specific home.
Go deeper
Read the full guides: moving from LA to New York and moving from LA to Seattle.
Common questions
Is New York or Seattle cheaper?
They were priced about the same at the median: $899K in New York versus $901K in Seattle (Redfin, May 2026). Neighborhood and home type matter far more than the city median here.
Which has lower state income tax, New York or Seattle?
Seattle has the lower state income tax. Washington has no personal income tax on wages. By comparison, New York has a progressive income tax with rates from 4% to a top rate of 10.9%. Rates change, so confirm with each state and a CPA.
What does $1 million buy in New York vs Seattle?
At the median price per square foot, $1 million works out to roughly 1,560 square feet in New York and 1,750 in Seattle, versus about 1,700 at the LA median. A rough illustration, not a listing.
