How many people live in subsidized housing in Washington?
Data updated August 27, 2024
About 173,000 people lived in subsidized housing in 2023, or about 1.9 people per unit. Subsidized housing options vary by location, ranging from high-rise or garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more. On average, 2023 residents lived in their units for nine years and four months.
Showing data for
In 2023
173K
people lived in subsidized housing in Washington state
In 2023
2.2%
of the Washington state population lived in subsidized housing
Federally subsidized rental housing began with 1937’s US Housing Act, which created the United States Housing Authority and provided financial assistance to state and local governments for housing low-income people. Since then, the government has provided housing assistance to low-income renters through programs overseen by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In King County, 3.4% of people live in subsidized housing, the most of any county in Washington state.
Share of population living in subsidized housing in 2023, by county
People who live in subsidized housing share one thing: incomes low enough to qualify for housing assistance. In 2023, HUD classified 96% of households in subsidized housing as very low income and 82% as extremely low income.
The average household in subsidized housing earned $18,043 in annual income. Across all subsidized housing, 71% of households earned less than $20,000.
40% of households with subsidies earned $10K–$15K in annual income.
Washington state, 2023
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Renters in subsidized housing earn income from different sources. Welfare is the main income source for 6% of households. According to HUD and the Census Bureau, “welfare” includes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, general assistance, or emergency assistance payments. Another 20% of households earn the majority of their income through wages, salaries, and business income. Finally, for 69% of households living in subsidized housing, the majority of income comes from other sources, a broad category that includes Social Security payments; insurance benefits; pensions; interest or dividends; and payments in lieu of salary like worker’s compensation, severance, unemployment, or disability. The remaining 5% is unaccounted for in the data.
Welfare assistance programs were the primary source of income for 6% of households in subsidized housing.
Washington state, 2023
Households living in subsidized housing contribute to their rent. In 2023, households living in subsidized housing paid average monthly rent of $433, which translates to an average of $5,196 per year, or approximately 28.8% of the average household’s annual income. HUD contributed $1,074 per household per month, on average.
Households that qualify for subsidies have a variety of family structures. HUD data focuses on homes with children, female-headed households, and households that include people with disabilities. In 2023:
- 28% of households had one or more children under 18 years, and about 82% of these were headed by single parents.
- 67% of households were headed by women, and 23% were headed by women with children.
- 31% of all people living in subsidized housing had a disability.
In Washington, 42% of households that lived in subsidized housing were headed by minority groups, which the Census Bureau defines as anyone who is not "white alone, non-Hispanic."
Subsidized households were most often headed by those 62 and older.
Washington state, 2023
Forty-three percent of households living in subsidized housing are headed by people age 62 and older, the youngest age when people can qualify for Social Security. People aged 25 to 50 are considered “prime-age workers,” and households led by this group make up 35% of all households in subsidized housing.
