By Marcus Webb, Senior Editor, State Tax & Retirement Geography·King County
Seattle is the #1 city in Washington by population (704,352
residents across 296,633 households; median household income $70,594). Federal gold IRA
rules are identical here to anywhere else in the US — what changes at the state line
is the money around the metal: sales tax applies at
purchase, and no state income tax when you take distributions.
The thresholds, sources and storage picture behind those two lines live in the gold IRA guide for Washington. Below: the city snapshot our
desk compiles for Seattle, the rated companies that serve it, and where its metals
would physically sit.
Seattle snapshot
Seattle, Washington — city profile
Measure
Value
Population
704,352
Households
296,633
Median household income
$70,594
County
King County
ZIP codes served
51
Land area
83.8 sq mi
Source: U.S. Census Bureau estimates (via our cities dataset) · checked October 24, 2026
Where Seattle IRA metals would sit
Metals in your IRA can't sit in a Seattle safe-deposit box or home safe — an
IRS-approved depository arranged by the custodian holds them, and the vault your
custodian uses decides fees and logistics. To make the geography concrete, we
measure the straight-line distance from Seattle to the two reference vaults we
track nationally:
Straight-line distance from Seattle to reference depositories
Facility
Distance
Delaware Depository (Wilmington, DE)
≈ 2,360 mi
Texas Bullion Depository (Leander, TX)
≈ 1,750 mi
Method: great-circle distance from city coordinates, rounded to 10 miles — an
indicator of logistics, not a quote. Washington's full storage picture: state guide.
Gold IRA companies serving Seattle — network ratings
Company
Overall
Fees
Feedback
Min. investment
Noble Gold Investments
4.1
3.5
4.5
Varies — see review
GoldStar Trust
4.0
4.0
4.0
N/A (custodian)
Augusta Precious Metals
4.0
3.0
4.5
$50,000 for cash or IRA purchases
Advantage Gold
3.9
3.5
4.0
$10,000–$25,000
Birch Gold Group
3.9
3.5
3.5
$5,000 recommended minimum
Goldco
3.9
3.5
4.0
$25,000 generally required for gold IRA…
American Hartford Gold
3.8
3.5
4.0
$10,000 for a Gold IRA
Lear Capital
3.3
3.0
3.5
$10,000 for a Gold IRA
Preserve Gold
3.2
3.0
3.5
$10,000–$25,000
Regal Assets
1.3
2.0
1.0
$5,000
Seattle gold IRA questions
Do I pay sales tax on gold IRA purchases in Seattle?
Sales tax applies — the rule is set at the state level. Washington's sales-tax exemption for precious metal bullion ended on January 1, 2026: bullion and monetized bullion are now subject to state and local sales tax — around 10% with local additions in Seattle. Source: WA Department of Revenue — industry guide, checked October 2026.
Where would metals from a Seattle gold IRA be stored?
Not at home: IRS rules require an approved depository arranged by your custodian. Measured from Seattle, the industry's reference vaults sit roughly 2,360 mi (Delaware Depository) and 1,750 mi (Texas Bullion Depository). The distance doesn't affect IRS approval — the vault your custodian uses decides fees and logistics.
Does Seattle add its own tax on IRA distributions?
Income tax is set at the state level, not by cities — with rare exceptions like New York City's resident tax, which none of our covered cities share. Washington levies no state income tax; its 7% capital-gains excise tax targets investment gains and does not reach retirement account distributions.
City guides for 5 more Washington cities are in
preparation.
Important
Educational information only — not investment, tax or legal advice. Verify current state and
local tax treatment with the Washington revenue department before acting.
