Seattle is not a US state. It is a city in the state of Washington. Seattle is the largest city in Washington State — home to Amazon and Microsoft's HQ region. Note: the state of Washington is different from Washington, D.C. (the federal capital).
Washington at a glance
USPS code: WA
Capital: Olympia
Largest city: Seattle
Region: West
Year admitted: 1889
Why people ask this
"Is Seattle a state?" gets searched thousands of times a year. There are three common reasons:
- City is more famous than its state. Travelers see "Seattle" on flights, news, sports, and TV — but the state name comes up less often.
- The US has 50 states + many big cities, so it's easy to lose track. Only 17 of the 50 capitals are the largest city of their state — meaning a famous city is usually not the capital.
- People learning US geography from scratch (non-Americans, kids, ESL learners) need a quick disambiguation page like this one. You're welcome.
Quick reference: Seattle vs Washington
If you ever need to fill in a form or quiz:
- City: Seattle
- State: Washington
- State abbreviation (USPS): WA
- State capital: Olympia
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Is Seattle a state?
No — Seattle is a US city in Washington.
What state is Seattle in?
Seattle is in Washington.
What is the capital of Washington?
The capital of Washington is Olympia. The largest city is Seattle.
How many cities does Washington have?
Washington has dozens of incorporated cities and towns. The largest is Seattle. See all of Washington's major cities and facts.