Moving from Washington to Arizona: The Real Numbers
ClozeEZ, the for-sale-by-owner site, lays out the real numbers on moving from Washington to Arizona. Washington is Arizona's second-largest source state, with 17,601 people moving in 2024, remarkable given Washington's population is under a third of Texas's (Census ACS 2024 1-year). The headline contrasts are sunshine and property tax: Phoenix records 211 clear days a year to Seattle's 58, and Arizona's 0.48% effective property tax runs well under Washington's 0.75%. Washington's statewide median sale price of about $645,000 (and King County's $875,000) compares with roughly $485,000 in Greater Phoenix.
Washington vs. Arizona at a glance
| Washington | Arizona | |
|---|---|---|
| Moved to Arizona (2024) | 17,601 people | Arizona's #2 source state |
| Median home price | $645,000 state / $875,000 King County | ~$485,000 (Greater Phoenix) |
| Income tax on wages | None | 2.5% flat |
| Capital gains tax | 7% above ~$262,000, 9.9% above $1M | 2.5% (taxed as ordinary income) |
| Clear days per year | 58 (Seattle) | 211 (Phoenix) |
Washington's no-income-tax status now has an expiration date
On March 30, 2026, Washington enacted a 9.9% tax on household income above $1 million, effective for tax year 2028 with the first returns due in 2029 and inflation indexing from 2030. It is a threshold rather than a cliff: only income above $1 million is taxed, and it reaches roughly 0.5% of households.
Combined with the existing capital gains excise tax of 7% above about $262,000 and 9.9% above $1 million, Washington is no longer a clean no-income-tax state for high earners or for anyone realizing a large gain. That makes the equity-realization math unusually sharp: a Seattle homeowner selling with a large gain faces a Washington capital gains excise tax that an Arizona resident does not.
The sunshine gap is the widest on this list
Seattle averages 58 clear days a year against Phoenix's 211, and 156 days with measurable precipitation against Phoenix's 35 (NOAA 1991-2020 normals; clear-day counts from NOAA Comparative Climatic Data). No other origin state on this list produces a contrast that large.
Washington's flow is also disproportionately a Phoenix-metro flow. Maricopa County received 10,756 Washingtonians, its second-largest source state, while Washington does not appear among Pima County's top three.
Where Arizona does not win
On ordinary wage income, moving to Arizona is a tax increase: Washington taxes wages at zero and Arizona at 2.5%, roughly $3,750 a year on $150,000 of taxable income. Washington's combined sales tax of 9.51% is higher than Arizona's 8.52%, but not by much. And Phoenix's 111 days a year above 100°F have no Seattle equivalent.
Washington to Arizona: frequently asked questions
Does Washington have an income tax now?
Not on ordinary wages yet. Washington enacted a 9.9% tax on household income above $1 million in March 2026, effective for tax year 2028. It also levies a capital gains excise tax of 7% on long-term gains above roughly $262,000, rising to 9.9% above $1 million.
How much sunnier is Phoenix than Seattle?
Phoenix averages 211 clear days a year to Seattle's 58, and 35 days with measurable precipitation to Seattle's 156. It is the largest climate contrast among Arizona's major source states.
Is Arizona cheaper than Washington for housing?
Yes on both a statewide and metro basis. Washington's statewide median sale price ran about $645,000 in mid-2026 and King County about $875,000, against roughly $485,000 in Greater Phoenix.
Will I pay more income tax in Arizona than in Washington?
On wage income, yes: Washington taxes wages at zero and Arizona at a flat 2.5%. For anyone realizing a large capital gain, the comparison reverses, because Washington's capital gains excise tax runs 7% to 9.9% where Arizona taxes gains at 2.5%.