Seattle hits record number of solo dwellers, despite high rents

New data shows Seattle saw a record number of people living alone last year, even as housing costs remain among the highest in the country.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 170,500 Seattle adults lived alone in 2024 — that’s more than 1 out of 4 (26%) of the city’s residents ages 18 and older.

Among the nation’s 50 largest cities, Seattle ranked fifth for the share of adults living alone in 2024. Washington, D.C., was No. 1, at around 29%, followed by Atlanta, Baltimore and Minneapolis.

At the opposite end of the spectrum were cities largely made up of single-family homes and with relatively few apartments. San Jose had the lowest share, with just 9% of adults living alone.

Single-person households have become more common across the country, not just in Seattle. Demographic trends such as later marriage (or no marriage), lower birthrates and an aging population have contributed to the increase in solo living.

And of course, people value their privacy, and many will choose to live alone if they can afford it. In an expensive city such as Seattle, that kind of privacy can be a luxury, and census data shows more than 89,000 Seattle adults saved money last year by sharing quarters with a roommate or an unmarried partner.

According to Apartments.com, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Seattle is $2,089, 28% above the national average, making Seattle one of the most expensive cities for renters in the U.S.

For people who prioritize privacy but don’t have that kind of money, developers have responded by building a slew of microunits that can be as small as 150 square feet and, needless to say, rent for a lot less than a standard apartment. The proliferation of microunits has contributed to Seattle having the smallest average apartment size of any major U.S. city.

Seattle has seen a steady rise in the number of solo dwellers since the start of the pandemic. The number of city residents living alone has soared to 170,500 from 130,000 in 2019, an increase of more than 40,000 people, or 31%. In the same period, the city’s 18-and-over population grew about 5%, from roughly 617,000 to 647,000.

In other words, the growth in people living alone has far outpaced Seattle’s overall population growth.

The census data shows this rise in solo living is largely being driven by renters. In 2024, about 129,000 renters lived alone in Seattle, up from 92,000 in 2019 — that’s a 40% increase. Among homeowners, about 42,000 lived alone last year, compared with 38,000 in 2019.

Around 70,000 adults under age 35 lived alone in Seattle, or about 27%, the second-highest share among major U.S. cities, after Washington, D.C., where 28% of young adults lived alone.

For Seattle residents ages 35 to 64, the share living alone — 23% — is lower, but still substantial.

Still, the group most likely to live alone in Seattle isn’t the young — it’s the old.

Among Seattleites aged 65 and older, about 33,000 lived alone, accounting for nearly 35% of that age group. Nationally and locally, solo living peaks in later life. After children move out, many older households transition into one-person households when a spouse dies.

Women, who tend to live longer, make up a large portion of older adults living alone. In Seattle, about 21,000 women ages 65 and older lived alone, compared with 11,000 men in that age group.

But among those under age 65, more men than women lived alone — 76,000 vs. 62,000.