Kent, WA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Kent, WA Summary

Cost of living in Kent research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Kent is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Kent is 130, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Kent is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Kent ranks as the #121 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Kent ranks as the #5,259 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Kent is $414,200.

  • The median income in Kent is $79,781.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
130
Kent's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Kent, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Kent has an overall cost of living index of 130, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Kent has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 115.

The standard of living in Kent ranks as #121 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Kent ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Kent, check out:

121 out of 192
In Washington
5,259 out of 6,412
In America

Kent Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Kent. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Kent is 131.

  • The Groceries index in Kent is 129.

  • The Health index in Kent is 130.

  • The Housing index in Kent is 133.

  • The Transportation index in Kent is 141.

  • The Utilities index in Kent is 110.

Living Expense Kent Washington National Average
Overall 130 115 100
Services 131 112 100
Groceries 129 109 100
Health 130 119 100
Housing 133 129 100
Transportation 141 116 100
Utilities 110 90 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Kent Cost of Living Vs. WA

Kent, WA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Kent is $414,200.

  • The Median Rent in Kent is $1,612.

  • The Median Income in Kent is $79,781.

  • The Home Value To Income in Kent is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Kent is 0.24x.

Statistic Kent Washington United States
Median Home Value $414,200 $397,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,612 $1,439 $1,163
Median Income $79,781 $82,400 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.2x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Kent, WA
$414,200
Median Home Value
$1,612
Median Rent
$79,781
Median Income

Kent, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Kent Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kent Washington
Shampoo $1.13 $1.06
Movie $14.7 $10.68
Bowling $21.8 $14.67
Haircut $39.33 $18.62
Beauty Salon $50.33 $39.05

Detailed Kent Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kent Washington
Ground Beef $5.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $2.15 $1.39
Milk $2.5 $2.05
Potatoes $3.5 $3.29
Pizza $13.12 $10.62
Beer $10.49 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.44 $2.34

Detailed Kent Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kent Washington
Optometrist $158.73 $108.57
Doctor $136.39 $116.17
Dentist $143.77 $99.13

Detailed Kent Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kent Washington
Gasoline $3.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $66.49 $50.07

Detailed Kent Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Kent Washington
All Electricity $186.95 $167.67
Phone $194.23 $175.64

Kent SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
7
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Kent

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Kent. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Tacoma, WA has a cost of living index of 111, 0.9x Kent.

  • Renton, WA has a cost of living index of 137, 1.1x Kent.

  • Auburn, WA has a cost of living index of 125, 1.0x Kent.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Kent
Tacoma, WA 217,332 111 0.9x
Renton, WA 105,313 137 1.1x
Auburn, WA 85,306 125 1.0x
Puyallup, WA 42,366 120 0.9x
Des Moines, WA 32,631 131 1.0x
SeaTac, WA 30,867 126 1.0x
Covington, WA 20,608 136 1.0x
Lakeland North, WA 14,161 132 1.0x
Lake Tapps, WA 12,570 146 1.1x
Gig Harbor, WA 11,505 141 1.1x

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