What is the rental yield in South Seattle, Seattle, Washington?

The gross yield in South Seattle, Seattle, Washington is 4.1. That sits alongside pricing about 19% below the city median and 33% above the state median, with prices up 4.9% over the past year. The Red Flag score is 55, walkability is 79, and education is in the 85th percentile.

How has home price performance been in South Seattle, Seattle, Washington?

Home prices in South Seattle, Seattle, Washington are up 4.9% over the past year. The neighborhood is priced about 19% below the city median and 33% above the state median, with a gross yield of 4.1. Walkability is 79, education is in the 85th percentile, and the Red Flag score is 55.

How does South Seattle, Seattle, Washington compare with Seattle overall?

South Seattle, Seattle, Washington is priced about 19% below Seattle overall, while gross yield is 4.1 and prices are up 4.9% over the past year. It also posts walkability of 79, education in the 85th percentile, and a Red Flag score of 55, which frames the comparison.

What are the main strengths and risks in South Seattle, Seattle, Washington?

South Seattle, Seattle, Washington’s main strengths are walkability of 79 and education in the 85th percentile. The main risk is a Red Flag score of 55. Pricing is about 19% below the city median and 33% above the state median, with a gross yield of 4.1 and prices up 4.9% over the past year.

Neighborhood

South Seattle

Seattle, Washington US

South Seattle, Seattle, Washington has a mixed investment profile with pricing about 19% below the city median but 33% above the state median, a gross yield of 4.1, and prices up 4.9% over the past year. The neighborhood combines strong walkability of 79 and education in the 85th percentile with a Red Flag score of 55, so the main strength is access and school-test performance, while the main risk is a midrange overall risk score.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

1.57 mi²

ZIP Code

98108

County

King County

State

Washington

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesEPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$641,310

YoY+4.9%

Gross Rental Yield

4.1%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

Moderate

55 / 100

Walkability Score

Very Walkable

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

85 / 100

Excellent · better than 85% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Fair

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

South Seattle Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for South Seattle, Seattle.

Unlock the South Seattle 12-month price trend

See the full Verified vs Listed price history — free with a DistrictScore account.

Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$641,310	+4.9%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$470/sqft	+2.5%
Asking Rent (Median)	$2,195/mo	+2.9%
Gross Rental Yield	4.1%	—
Liquidity Score	24 / 100	Low
Homes Sold (Period)	56	+12.0%

Is South Seattle Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Washington crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

55 / 100

Moderate Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Earthquake100Very High

Flood60High

Wildfire60High

Heat60High

Tornado20Low

Strong Wind20Low

Hail20Low

Hurricanen/an/a

7/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): Washington averaged 27.9 crimes and 3.3 violent per 1,000 residents (-13.0% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

Unlock the full risk report for South Seattle

Tract-level hazard heatmap & parcel detail with Pro

Unlock the South Seattle hazard breakdown

See all eight FEMA hazard scores — free with a DistrictScore account.

What Stands Out AI Insight

Appreciating market — +4.9% sale-price YoY

Highly walkable neighborhood — score 79/100

Active transaction volume — 56 homes sold last period

Dense amenities — 40 dining & 10 grocery options nearby

Earthquake risk is Very High (100/100)

Insights are generated from South Seattle's live DistrictScore metrics.

South Seattle Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Washington-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Washington Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	27.9	3.3	-13.0%
2023	32.5	3.6	-12.5%
2022	37.5	3.8	+11.9%
2021	33.7	3.4	+12.1%
2020	30.3	2.9	+0.9%
2019	30.3	3.0	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; South Seattle inherits the Washington figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 3

Zone 3 — Lowest potential · South Seattle

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Environmental Hazards

EPA / BTS

Superfund (NPL)2.9 kmHigh

Industrial odor18 nearbyVery High

Aviation noise54 dBLow

Point-source screening near South Seattle: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.

Walkability & Amenities in South Seattle

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

79

Very Walkable

Walkability Score

10

Grocery

40

Dining

9

Schools

0

Universities

3

Hospitals

1

Pharmacies

18

Parks

3

Rail Transit

0

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within South Seattle's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

South Seattle vs Seattle vs Washington

How South Seattle benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

In South Seattle, the median sale price sits about 19% below the median for Seattle neighborhoods and about 33% above the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 4.1%, against 2.8% for Seattle neighborhoods and 4.0% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices rose 4.9%. Transaction liquidity sits below the median for Seattle neighborhoods and below the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
South Seattle	$470/sqft	4.1%	24
Seattle	$578/sqft	2.8%	34
Washington	$352/sqft	4.0%	32

Unlock the South Seattle benchmark

Compare South Seattle against Seattle and Washington medians — free with a DistrictScore account.

Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & Washington tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~0.74% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

No state income tax — rental income is not taxed at the state level.

State Capital Gains

No general income tax; the 7% capital gains tax exempts real estate.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: REET graduated 1.1-3% (mansion-style).

Assessment Cap

No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

Statewide rent control caps rent increases (HB 1217; 9.683% max for 2026); transfer tax is mansion-style.

US citizens & tax residents6

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & Washington property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Seattle Real-Estate News

New Fed chairman may leave mortgage rates mostly unchanged

Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

Household real estate wealth hits record $48.7 trillion

Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

South Seattle Real Estate FAQ

South Seattle, Seattle, Washington shows a mixed profile. Pricing is about 19% below the city median but 33% above the state median, gross yield is 4.1, and prices are up 4.9% over the past year. Walkability is 79, education is in the 85th percentile, and the Red Flag score is 55.

Neighborhoods near South Seattle

Compare South Seattle with nearby neighborhoods in Seattle.

Unlock deeper insights on South Seattle

Deeper data. Smarter decisions. Stronger returns.

Full Risk Reports

Tract-level hazards

Investment Score

AI-driven analysis

Export & Reports

PDF & Excel

Priority Support

Fast-track help

Get Pro Access7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.