The TaxLienSimple Index · WA · 2026

Washington Tax-Lien & Tax-Deed Investing

What Washington statute actually pays — return, redemption and bid method — cross-referenced with the live auction inventory we track. Every figure traces to state law or a county source.

47 /100

Tier C National rank #32 of 51

Sale type

Tax Deed

Statutory return / penalty

n/a — no ordinary post-sale redemption, so investors earn no redemption interest or penalty; return is the discount on the treasurer's deed.

Redemption period

None after the sale for ordinary owners (redemption closes end of business the day before the sale, RCW 84.64.070). Narrow exceptions: a 3-year window for minors/legally incompetent owners, and a 120-day federal redemption right where an IRS lien attached.

Bid method

highest bid (deed)

Sale season

Often September through December; county dependent

What you buy

Tax foreclosure deed auction

Statutory note. After a court foreclosure judgment, the county treasurer sells to the highest and best bidder (minimum bid = taxes + interest + costs) and conveys fee title by treasurer's deed under RCW 84.64.080.

89live parcels tracked

2counties with inventory

#32of 51 jurisdictions

Read the score correctly. The TaxLienSimple Index is a 0–100 research guide built from statutory terms and the inventory we track — not a yield, a guarantee, or investment advice. Realized returns depend on competition, redemption and your own due diligence. Verify every figure with the county before bidding.

Remote Investor Snapshot

Verified public-data profile for out-of-area investors — every figure below traces to the cited government source. Blank fields mean the source does not publish that value for this area (we never estimate).

Market & demographics

Population

7,688,549

5-yr population growth

+7.2% growing

Median household income

$90,325

Median age

Poverty rate

9.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year 2022

Housing market

Median home value

$473,400

Median gross rent

$1,592/mo

Owner-occupied

63.8% 36.2% renter

Vacancy rate

7.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year 2022

Property-tax burden

Median real-estate taxes

$4,158/yr

Effective property-tax rate

0.88% of home value

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year 2022

Natural-hazard risk & safety

Unemployment rate

4.7%

Source: FEMA National Risk Index (2023); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (2023 annual)

Growth & livability signals

New residential permits

37,097 units, 2023

Broadband subscription

92.1%

Bachelor's degree +

38%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey (2023); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022 (household broadband subscription; FCC availability not yet integrated); U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2022 (educational attainment — school-quality proxy; NCES ratings not yet integrated)

Risk & opportunity flags

Opportunity Zone tracts

139 tax-advantaged

EPA Superfund (NPL) sites

EPA Brownfield sites

557

Source: U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund / IRS designated Opportunity Zones; U.S. EPA (SEMS National Priorities List; ACRES Brownfields)

Counties we track in Washington

#	County	TaxLienSimple Index	Live parcels
1	Pierce County	C 50	85
2	Snohomish County	C 48	4

See the actual parcels in Washington

Browse the live tax-lien, deed and foreclosure inventory we track — search by county, redemption window and opening bid.

Browse live auction inventory →

The TaxLienSimple Index is a 0–100 research guide built from statutory terms and the inventory we track — not a yield, a guarantee, or investment advice. Realized returns depend on competition, redemption and your own due diligence. Verify every figure with the county before bidding.

© 2026 TaxLienSimple · The TaxLienSimple Index is compiled from state tax statutes and county treasurer/tax-collector offices; live inventory counts reflect parcels currently tracked by TaxLienSimple and update continuously. Nothing here is investment or legal advice.