Direct selling in Seattle, Washington
Amazon tops the list of large employers in the Greater Seattle region, and Seattle itself is a city of 780,995 people. This page covers the region's main employers, the companies based in King County, the University of Washington, recent jobless counts, rent, and what Plondo's directory shows for the city. Every number comes from a public source listed at the end.
Amazon first, Boeing a distant second
Greater Seattle Partners names Amazon as the top employer. Its report says Boeing, Microsoft, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the University of Washington follow. It uses the word "distantly" to describe the gap after Amazon.
That list mixes very different kinds of work. Two names are private technology firms. One is an aerospace maker. One is a military base. One is a public university. A team leader in Seattle is likely to talk with people from technology, aerospace, the military and higher education.
Greater Seattle Partners also names the leading industries of the regional economy. They are technology, aerospace, global trade, life sciences, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. These fields shape the workforce that a direct selling company in Seattle would recruit from and sell to.
Costco, Starbucks and Expedia in the same county
Greater Seattle Partners lists the companies based in King County as Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Meta, Google, Costco, Starbucks and Expedia Group.
The list puts consumer brands such as Costco and Starbucks next to software firms such as Microsoft and a travel firm, Expedia Group. Shoppers in the area are used to buying from companies that started close to home.
None of these companies is a direct selling company. None of them appears in Plondo's directory of direct selling head offices.
Three UW campuses, 63,727 students
The University of Washington enrolled 63,727 students across its Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses in the 2025-26 school year. KING 5 reported enrollment gains at all three campuses.
The university also appears on the list of top regional employers. That gives it two roles in the local economy. It is a large employer, and it is the school for 63,727 enrolled students.
The three campuses sit in three different cities. A company that holds training or product events for a Seattle team has three campus cities to consider, not one.
Jobless counts for King County and the region
King County's unemployment rate was 4.7% in May 2026. The figure comes from the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council. The council said the rate fell that month.
The Washington Employment Security Department counted 120,416 unemployed people in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett region in June 2026. The department said that count had decreased. The state labor force that month was 4,059,821.
These are county, regional and state numbers, not city numbers. They describe the labor market that Seattle sits inside.
A median rent of $2,030
The Census Bureau puts Seattle's median gross rent at $2,030 for 2020-2024. Gross rent includes the rent itself plus utilities the renter pays.
Many people who sell for a direct selling company work from where they live. In Seattle, that home base often comes with a rent near this figure. A company planning a launch in the city should know the housing costs its sellers face.
No Seattle head office in Plondo's directory
Plondo's directory lists no direct selling companies with a head office in Seattle. That is true as of October 2026.
Sellers and team leaders in the city still work with direct selling companies. Those companies are based in other places. The Washington page covers the state as a whole, including listings outside the city.
Figures from the Census, the state and UW
- Seattle population, Census Vintage 2024
- 780,995[1]
- Unemployed people, Seattle-Bellevue-Everett region, June 2026
- 120,416[2]
- Washington state labor force, June 2026
- 4,059,821[2]
- King County unemployment rate, May 2026
- 4.7%[3]
- Largest employers, Greater Seattle region
- Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, University of Washington[4]
- Companies based in King County
- Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Meta, Google, Costco, Starbucks, Expedia Group[5]
- Leading industries, Greater Seattle economy
- Technology, aerospace, global trade, life sciences, clean energy, advanced manufacturing[6]
- University of Washington enrollment, three campuses, 2025-26
- 63,727[7]
- Seattle median gross rent, 2020-2024
- $2,030[8]
Seattle leaders weighing another company
Plondo runs a free placement service for established team leaders in Seattle. It is confidential, so your current company does not hear about your search from us. There is no placement fee. With no direct selling head office listed in the city, a Seattle leader usually compares companies based elsewhere. We help you make that comparison in private.
Apply confidentiallySoftware for a company recruiting in King County
A company recruiting around Seattle meets people from technology, aerospace and a large university who expect software to work. The commission engine must calculate every payout correctly. The back office should run well on a phone. Replicated sites need fast pages. AI employees can answer seller questions at any hour, including for students on the three UW campuses.
See Plondo direct selling softwareFrequently asked questions
Are any direct selling companies headquartered in Seattle?
Plondo's directory lists no direct selling head office in Seattle as of October 2026. Sellers in the city work with companies based in other places.
How many people live in Seattle?
Seattle had 780,995 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimates. That is the city figure, not the metro figure.
Who are the largest employers in the Greater Seattle region?
Greater Seattle Partners lists Amazon first. Boeing, Microsoft, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the University of Washington follow.
What is the unemployment rate in King County?
King County's unemployment rate was 4.7% in May 2026, according to the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council. In June 2026, the state counted 120,416 unemployed people in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett region.
Does Plondo charge Seattle team leaders for placement?
No. Plondo's placement service is free and confidential. There is no placement fee.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates Open source
- Washington Employment Security Department, Washington's unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.2% in June Open source
- Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council, Workforce Index Open source
- Greater Seattle Partners, Greater Seattle Economic Report 2024 Open source
- Greater Seattle Partners, King County Economic Overview 2025 Open source
- Greater Seattle Partners, 2025 Greater Seattle Economic Overview Open source
- KING 5, UW enrollment grows across all 3 campuses Open source
- U.S. Census Bureau, QuickFacts Seattle city, Washington Open source