Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue MSA (42660): Regional Economic Data

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metropolitan Statistical Area (CBSA code 42660) is a Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties in western Washington. With a total population of approximately 4 million, it is the 15th-largest MSA in the United States and one of the most economically dynamic metro areas in the country, driven by the technology sector, aerospace, and a major seaport.

In BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), the Seattle MSA consistently produces some of the highest median wages for software developers, data scientists, and computer systems analysts in the country — a reflection of the concentration of Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Meta, and hundreds of technology companies in the region. BEA's Regional Economic Accounts show per capita personal income for the Seattle MSA significantly above the national median, and the gap has been widening since the early 2010s.

The MSA's three component counties — King (53033), Snohomish (53061), and Pierce (53053) — have distinct economic profiles. King County is the technology and financial services core. Snohomish County is home to Boeing's commercial aircraft assembly facilities (Everett) and is more manufacturing-dependent. Pierce County, anchored by Tacoma and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, has a larger military and logistics employment base.

For researchers, the Seattle MSA is a canonical example of a winner-take-most knowledge economy metro — rich data exists on housing cost escalation, in-migration patterns, income inequality growth, and displacement. Census ACS data shows rapid increases in both median income and median home value. HMDA data documents the competitive mortgage market. BLS QCEW shows the shift from manufacturing to services. The full MSA profile page links to the component counties and shows which federal datasets publish at the MSA level.