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King County, Washington is located in the northwest corner of the United States, in the heart of the Puget Sound region. The City of Seattle is the King County seat and the Northwest's largest city.
- The region is the thirteenth largest metropolitan area in the country.
- the twelfth most populous county in the U.S.
- home to about 1.7 million people living in 39 cities and unincorporated regions.
King County has a varied topography from sea level to 6,270 feet. To the west is Puget Sound and to the east are the Cascade mountains. Seattle is 100 miles south of the Canadian border and 165 miles north of the Oregon border.
King County offers a wide range of lifestyles, from the sophisticated urban environment of Seattle to the picturesque, small town life offered by King County's many rural and suburban areas. In 1996, Seattle was named the top city to live and work in in the United States by Fortune Magazine as well as “Sixth out of the ten best U. S. cities for business” in 2000; “Best Place in the West” by Money Magazine in 1998; one of the top fifteen regions in the nation to do business by Forbes Magazine (1999); most “Kid-Friendly City” in a 1999 study of major metropolitan areas sponsored by the environmental group Zero Population Growth; and ranked as a “Four Star Community” by Expansion Management Magazine (1999).
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Climate
King County's climate is mild and moderately moist; winters are comparatively warm with mild, temperate summers. The average summer temperature is 64 degrees, and temperatures climb over 90 degrees only a few days per year. During the winter, temperatures rarely drop below freezing (only 15 days per year). The area's wet season extends from October through April, during which 82% of annual rainfall occurs (about 35" a year). Heavy rainfall is rather rare; instead the area experiences a stable level of light rain throughout the winter.
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Housing
Seattle's reputation as one of the most livable cities attracts many people to King County. For this reason, the housing market is strong due to high demand. Median home prices in King County range from the upper $200,000s to the high $400,000s, with the county average house sale price at $385,000 (Seattle neighborhoods are considerably higher).
For more information, see the Seattle Times' Classified real estate advertisements online (www.seattletimes.com), or www.quadrantcorp.com.
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Annual Precipitation
| City/State |
Precipitation in Inches |
| Atlanta, GA |
48.6 |
| Boston, MA |
43.8 |
| Chicago, IL |
33.3 |
| Houston, TX |
44.8 |
| Los Angeles, CA |
12.1 |
| New York, NY |
44.1 |
| Seattle, WA |
38.6 |
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2006 Apartment Rentals In King County
| Type of apartment |
Monthly Rate |
| Studio |
$587 |
| One Bed |
$693 |
| 2 Bed / 1 Bath |
$784 |
| 3 Bed / 2 Bath |
$1,063 |
| Vacancy Rate |
5.3% |
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2006 Home Prices In King County
| Area |
Median Price |
| Seattle |
$415,000 |
| Eastside |
$484,500 |
| SW King County |
$282,950 |
| SE King County |
$329,000 |
| N King County |
$379,975 |
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2006 Median Home Price
| U.S. Metropolitan City |
Price |
| Atlanta |
$260,000 |
| Boston |
$319,500 |
| Dallas |
$223,875 |
| Denver |
$242,000 |
| Minneapolis |
$389,300 |
| Phoenix |
$198,333 |
| Portland, OR |
$258,600 |
| San Diego |
$312,746 |
| San Francisco |
$911,250 |
| San Jose |
$595,350 |
| Seattle |
$415,000 |
Sources: The Seattle Times, Dupre+Scott Apartment Advisors, Coldwell Banker Corp.
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