About 5,900 renter households in Seattle—roughly 2.7%, or one in 40—do not have a full kitchen. By this measure, the city ranks third among the 50 largest U.S. cities; only San Francisco (3.6%) and Los Angeles (3%) have higher shares. The Census Bureau considers a kitchen complete if an apartment has a sink with a faucet, a stove and a refrigerator. Missing any one of these, or having a kitchen shared by several tenants, means the home does not meet the criteria.
Unlike in most large cities, where the share of renters in such housing fell from 1.6% in 2010 to 1.2%, the figure rose in Seattle: the number of households without a full kitchen grew from about 3,200 to 5,900. One possible reason is the high cost of housing: the most affordable options are often cramped. These include older residential hotels with long-term rooms and shared facilities, converted spaces, and micro-apartments with shared kitchens. Under Census Bureau rules, a hotel room can also count as a home if someone lives there permanently and has no other residence.
For some residents, going without a stove is a deliberate trade-off for lower rent and the chance to live in a convenient neighborhood. Small rooms often require less money upfront than a standard one-bedroom apartment, where tenants may need to pay the first and last months’ rent and a substantial deposit when moving in. Although Seattle’s micro-apartment building boom has since tapered off, the remaining options still help people with limited means find housing—at the cost of giving up a kitchen of their own.
Based on: Where’s the kitchen? Seattle ranks near top of cities with an odd distinction - The Seattle Times