Big tech occupiers in Seattle typically cluster in Pioneer Square, plan ~160 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out ($185–270/sqft), and pay around 52 USD/sqft ($52 USD) on Class A.
Big tech occupiers in Seattle typically cluster in Pioneer Square, plan ~160 sqft per seat at high-end fit-out">fit-out ($185–270/sqft), and pay around 52 USD/sqft ($52 USD) on Class A.
Big tech occupiers in Seattle typically anchor in Pioneer Square. Tech, creative agencies, hospitality, design firms.
Class A rent in Seattle runs 52 USD/sqft ($52 USD) on a 10-year lease with 16 months free. Prime submarkets sit at or modestly above the city index.
Typical big tech fit-out targets high-end specification at $185–270/sqft. Branded reception, full client-facing programming, premium furniture, and specialist AV are standard.
Plan around 160 sqft per seat blended (workstation + circulation + amenity). A 100-headcount big tech office in Seattle typically targets 16,000 sqft of leasable area.
Engineering campuses gravitate to creative-class submarkets adjacent to public transit, universities, and dense talent housing. Deepest cloud, AI, and SaaS engineering talent pool in North America. UW and a deep network of T-1 engineering programs feed. Cost-of-living advantage versus Bay Area is structural.
Headline corporate tax: 21%. Modified-gross structures with operating-expense pass-throughs. 10-12 year terms standard for trophy. Free rent of 12-18 months and TI of $100-$150/sqft typical on a 10-year deal.
| city | Seattle |
|---|---|
| industry | Big tech |
| naics | 518210, 541511, 541512 |
| preferredSubmarket | Pioneer Square |
| preferredFitoutSpec | High-end |
| fitoutBand | $185–270/sqft |
| sqftPerSeat | 160 |
| classARentLocal | 52 USD/sqft/yr |
| classARentUsd | $52/sqft/yr |
| vacancyPct | 26.4% |
| typicalLeaseYears | 10 |
| typicalRentFreeMonths | 16 |
| talentIndex | 92 |
| corporateTaxPct | 21% |
Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.