1 Child
~13%
5.0pp below average
Data updated September 2026
2022 guideline data Income Shares model OCSE FY2023 source
Washington Child Support Guidelines
Washington publishes a 13% one-child starting rate under Income Shares - lower-third among 51 recorded schedules. The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens lower than most peers before deviations.
- 13%
- 1-child base rate
- #51 of 51
- base-rate rank
- #15
- enforcement caseload rank
- 91%
- cases with order
$893/mo
One-child base rate at Washington's median income
13% of $82,400, the Census ACS 2022 median household income for Washington, divided across twelve months, 6% below the median state. An index for comparing states, not a case estimate: guidelines apply to the obligor's income, or to combined parental income under the Income Shares model, and a court sets the actual order. How this is derived.
OCSE guideline posture brief
Washington Title IV-D posture in this snapshot
Entity-varying stamps from NCSL guideline tables and OCSE FY2023 preliminary reporting (P-52 caseload, P-4 collections, P-64 order share) - not a clone nationwide scaffold.
- 13% published one-child starting rate #51 of 51
- Income 43 jurisdictions share this model
- 91% caseload with support order (OCSE P-64) #14 nationally
- 244,057 Title IV-D caseload (OCSE P-52) #15 by volume
- $2,442 distributed collections per case (our calc)
- Mississippi nearest rate peer (Δ 1.0 pts)
- 2022 guideline vintage on registry
One-child rate neighbourhood
Published starting percentages among the nearest rate peers (snapshot September 2026).
Income Shares · INC · LOW
National context
Where Washington's one-child starting rate sits
Each bar counts states with a published one-child base rate in that 3-point band. Washington's lower-third 13% mark is highlighted. Counts are exact from the 51-jurisdiction dataset.
Washington's 13% published one-child base rate is higher than 0 of 51 recorded state rates. The comparison describes guideline starting percentages, not a complete child-support estimate. Washington sits in a lower-rate band on this histogram.
Source: State guideline records, 51 jurisdictions with published one-child base rates
2 Children
~19%
6.7pp below average
3 Children
~24%
7.3pp below average
4 Children
~27%
8.2pp below average
Income Cap
None
uncapped
Lower one-child starting rate
Washington in the lower-rate third
Washington's published 13% one-child base sits in the lower third (#51 of 51).
Washington publishes a 13% one-child starting rate under Income Shares - lower-third among 51 recorded schedules. The Income Shares schedule (43 jurisdictions on this model) opens lower than most peers before deviations. Unlike capped states, the formula applies to full reported income before deductions - material on a large caseload. Nearest one-child rate peer: Mississippi at 14% (Δ 1.0 pts). Washington also builds a parenting-time credit into the guideline - relevant when a dense order book meets substantial overnight time. A percentage figure alone does not determine the dollar amount - compare Washington to other guideline models →
On OCSE FY2023 tables, Washington ranks #14 of 51 on order-establishment share and #15 by caseload volume (~$2,442 distributed per case, our calc on P-4/P-52). Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report.
How Washington Calculates Child Support
Washington uses the Income Shares model. Both parents' incomes are combined, the total obligation is looked up from a schedule, then split proportionally based on each parent's income share. Its one-child base rate is a comparatively low starting point among states. That lower-third starting rate is the schedule's open before deviations.
Income Shares model (Economic Table). Washington percentages applied to gross income. Actual dollar amounts comparable to other states.
Washington guideline parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Formula Model | Income Shares |
| Income Floor | None |
| Income Ceiling | Uncapped |
| Parenting Time Adjustment | Available |
| Median Household Income | $82,400/yr |
| Single-Child Base | 13% (rank #51 of 51) |
Not legal advice for Washington: figures here are published-guideline estimates only. Actual orders can differ under judicial discretion, deviation factors, and the current Washington schedule. Consult a family law attorney licensed in Washington.
Washington Child Support Enforcement
244,057
Active Cases
$596.1M
Annual Collections
91%
Cases with Orders
$2,442
Collected per case (our calculation)
Washington vs national average (51 reporting states)
Cases with orders 91.0%
national
91% of Washington's caseload has a support order established; average across the 51 jurisdictions 86.6%.
Source: HHS Office of Child Support Services, FY 2023 Preliminary Report, Tables P-52 (caseload), P-4 (distributed collections) and P-64 (cases with orders)
C
State Support Program Score
55/100
Washington
Based on order-establishment rate, per-case collection efficiency, and calculator access from federal OCSE and Census ACS data, not the guideline percentage itself, case outcomes, or any individual family's experience.
Order Establishment B
91%
Share of caseload with a support order in place (OCSE Table P-64); 51-state range 80.5%-93.8%, median 86.6%
Collection Efficiency B
$2,442/case
Dollars collected per enforcement case per year (OCSE Table P-4); 51-state range $1,522-$2,922, median $2,131
Income-Adjusted Collections F
2.96% of median income
Collections per case relative to state median household income (OCSE + Census ACS); 51-state range 2.39%-4.24%, median 3.16%
Calculator Access F
Not published
Whether the state publishes an official online support calculator
Interactive Calculator for Washington
The Washington interactive calculator is being finalized. Use the official state calculator below for your estimate.
Official WA CalculatorNearest one-child rate peers
Closest published starting percentages to Washington's 13% (LOW band) - model stamps INC/PCT/MEL, not an A-Z clone list.
Read our methodology - how Washington guideline and OCSE figures on this page are sourced.
Data sources for Washington
Guideline parameters from Washington statutes and published schedules; enforcement columns from HHS OCSS FY2023 Preliminary Report (P-52 / P-4 / P-64). See methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainChildSupport for Washington.