The Seattle Times
The Pacific Northwest's largest daily, covering local news, business and sports.
The Seattle Times at a glance
The Seattle Times is a news & media website and one of the most visited sites in United States, currently ranked #341 in the country. It was founded in 1891 by Alden J. Blethen and is headquartered in Seattle, WA, USA. Today The Seattle Times is owned by Seattle Times Company. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 30 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through subscriptions, digital advertising. Its closest rivals include oregonlive.com, nytimes.com, latimes.com.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 28.2 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 29.1 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 30 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 31.8 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct37%
- Organic search34%
- Social18%
- News aggregators8%
- Email3%
Audience & demographics
- Men55%
- Women45%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5423%
- Age 25-3422%
The audience is concentrated in United States, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- United States86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 9 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- United States
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| the seattle times | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| breaking news | Top 10 | High | — |
| today's headlines | Top 10 | High | — |
| live coverage | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the United States web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 79% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading news & media apps in United States
Company information
- Website
- seattletimes.com
- Sector
- News & Media
- Owner
- Seattle Times Company
- Owner type
- Private company
- Founders
- Alden J. Blethen
- Founded
- 1891
- Headquarters
- Seattle, WA, USA
- Employees
- 500+
- Ownership
- Seattle Times Company controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $200 million annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- English
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, social
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $200 million annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Private company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
The Seattle Times operates a news and media publisher focused on United States. The Pacific Northwest's largest daily, covering local news, business and sports. Revenue comes mainly from subscriptions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Subscriptions
- Digital advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- United States
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (United States)
- #341 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading news & media site in United States
- Global rank
- 2500
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| oregonlive.com | ≈ 18 million / month | #342 class competitor | — |
| nytimes.com | ≈ 13.5 million / month | #343 class competitor | — |
| latimes.com | ≈ 9 million / month | #344 class competitor | — |
What is The Seattle Times?
The Seattle Times (seattletimes.com) is a news and media publisher serving users in United States. The Pacific Northwest's largest daily, covering local news, business and sports. It ranks #341 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the news & media category.
Who owns The Seattle Times?
The site is operated by Seattle Times Company, founded by Alden J. Blethen. The company was established in 1891 and is headquartered in Seattle, WA, USA. It employs around 500+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place The Seattle Times at roughly 30 million visits per month, about 1 million per day. Around 79% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 3.1 pages per visit with an average session of 3 min.
How The Seattle Times makes money
Revenue comes primarily from subscriptions, alongside digital advertising.
Competitors in United States
Its closest rivals include oregonlive.com, nytimes.com, latimes.com.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1891
The Seattle Times is founded in Seattle, WA, USA.
- Growth phase
Expands its news & media offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #341 among the most visited websites in United States.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad daily news coverage with national reach
- Fast breaking-news publishing
- Free access to most articles
- Strong presence in search and social
Cons
- Heavy advertising load on article pages
- Editorial line criticised by parts of the audience
- Clickbait headlines on high-traffic sections
- Paywall limits on premium content
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns The Seattle Times?
The Seattle Times is operated by Seattle Times Company. Private company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is The Seattle Times headquartered?
The Seattle Times is headquartered in Seattle, WA, USA.
When was The Seattle Times founded?
The Seattle Times was founded in 1891 by Alden J. Blethen.
How many employees does The Seattle Times have?
The Seattle Times employs approximately 500+ people.
What is The Seattle Times's revenue?
The Seattle Times's revenue: ≈ $200 million annual revenue (est.).
Who are The Seattle Times's competitors?
Main competitors in United States include oregonlive.com, nytimes.com, latimes.com.
How does The Seattle Times make money?
Mainly subscriptions, digital advertising.
Is The Seattle Times publicly traded?
No — The Seattle Times is not listed as an independent public company; it is operated by Seattle Times Company.
How many visitors does The Seattle Times get?
Third-party estimates place The Seattle Times at roughly 30 million visits per month, mostly from United States, with 79% mobile traffic.
Is The Seattle Times safe?
The Seattle Times is an established news & media site founded in 1891 and ranked #341 in United States; use the official domain seattletimes.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsseattletimes.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageUnited States and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos