Rent Affordability for A Chef in Washington
A typical chef in Washington earns about $71,848 a year, which supports approximately $1,796 a month in rent under the 30% rule. Below, every tracked Washington city is ranked by how local rent compares against that affordability ceiling.
As of May 2026. 27 of 115 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 88 are rent-burdened on this salary.
| City↕ | Median rent↕ | % of income↑ | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longview, WA | $1,296/mo | 21.6% | affordable |
| Centralia, WA | $1,300/mo | 21.7% | affordable |
| Aberdeen, WA | $1,313/mo | 21.9% | affordable |
| Clarkston, WA | $1,350/mo | 22.5% | affordable |
| Yakima, WA | $1,369/mo | 22.9% | affordable |
| Cheney, WA | $1,451/mo | 24.2% | affordable |
| Chehalis, WA | $1,475/mo | 24.6% | affordable |
| Moses Lake, WA | $1,481/mo | 24.7% | affordable |
| Pullman, WA | $1,493/mo | 24.9% | affordable |
| Spokane, WA | $1,498/mo | 25% | affordable |
| Walla Walla, WA | $1,506/mo | 25.2% | affordable |
| Spokane Valley, WA | $1,549/mo | 25.9% | affordable |
| Kelso, WA | $1,553/mo | 25.9% | affordable |
| Shelton, WA | $1,553/mo | 25.9% | affordable |
| Leavenworth, WA | $1,610/mo | 26.9% | affordable |
| Kennewick, WA | $1,621/mo | 27.1% | affordable |
| Pasco, WA | $1,665/mo | 27.8% | affordable |
| Colbert, WA | $1,682/mo | 28.1% | affordable |
| Pacific, WA | $1,691/mo | 28.2% | affordable |
| Lakewood, WA | $1,708/mo | 28.5% | affordable |
| Ellensburg, WA | $1,716/mo | 28.7% | affordable |
| Airway Heights, WA | $1,721/mo | 28.7% | affordable |
| Parkland, WA | $1,730/mo | 28.9% | affordable |
| Wenatchee, WA | $1,729/mo | 28.9% | affordable |
| Tacoma, WA | $1,749/mo | 29.2% | affordable |
| Selah, WA | $1,757/mo | 29.3% | affordable |
| Port Angeles, WA | $1,759/mo | 29.4% | affordable |
| Richland, WA | $1,800/mo | 30.1% | stretched |
| Grandview, WA | $1,800/mo | 30.1% | stretched |
| Vancouver, WA | $1,818/mo | 30.4% | stretched |
| Liberty Lake, WA | $1,834/mo | 30.6% | stretched |
| Ocean Shores, WA | $1,836/mo | 30.7% | stretched |
| Burien, WA | $1,896/mo | 31.7% | stretched |
| University Place, WA | $1,904/mo | 31.8% | stretched |
| Sedro-Woolley, WA | $1,906/mo | 31.8% | stretched |
| Riverton-Boulevard Park, WA | $1,907/mo | 31.9% | stretched |
| Tumwater, WA | $1,922/mo | 32.1% | stretched |
| Fife, WA | $1,927/mo | 32.2% | stretched |
| Federal Way, WA | $1,935/mo | 32.3% | stretched |
| Bremerton, WA | $1,934/mo | 32.3% | stretched |
| La Center, WA | $1,933/mo | 32.3% | stretched |
| Oak Harbor, WA | $1,940/mo | 32.4% | stretched |
| Everett, WA | $1,946/mo | 32.5% | stretched |
| Auburn, WA | $1,953/mo | 32.6% | stretched |
| Seatac, WA | $1,968/mo | 32.9% | stretched |
| Kent, WA | $1,978/mo | 33% | stretched |
| Bellingham, WA | $1,976/mo | 33% | stretched |
| Tukwila, WA | $1,983/mo | 33.1% | stretched |
| Steilacoom, WA | $1,990/mo | 33.2% | stretched |
| Silverdale, WA | $1,991/mo | 33.3% | stretched |
| Bryn Mawr-Skyway, WA | $2,000/mo | 33.4% | stretched |
| Lynden, WA | $2,006/mo | 33.5% | stretched |
| Ferndale, WA | $2,007/mo | 33.5% | stretched |
| Olympia, WA | $2,013/mo | 33.6% | stretched |
| Des Moines, WA | $2,013/mo | 33.6% | stretched |
| Midland, WA | $2,029/mo | 33.9% | stretched |
| Shoreline, WA | $2,042/mo | 34.1% | stretched |
| Mountlake Terrace, WA | $2,078/mo | 34.7% | stretched |
| Clover Creek, WA | $2,077/mo | 34.7% | stretched |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $2,084/mo | 34.8% | stretched |
| West Richland, WA | $2,104/mo | 35.1% | stretched |
| Edgewood, WA | $2,106/mo | 35.2% | stretched |
| Burlington, WA | $2,110/mo | 35.2% | stretched |
| Port Orchard, WA | $2,135/mo | 35.7% | stretched |
| Milton, WA | $2,136/mo | 35.7% | stretched |
| Lacey, WA | $2,163/mo | 36.1% | stretched |
| Fircrest, WA | $2,169/mo | 36.2% | stretched |
| Arlington, WA | $2,183/mo | 36.5% | stretched |
| Renton, WA | $2,191/mo | 36.6% | stretched |
| Lynnwood, WA | $2,191/mo | 36.6% | stretched |
| Ridgefield, WA | $2,196/mo | 36.7% | stretched |
| Washougal, WA | $2,202/mo | 36.8% | stretched |
| Sumner, WA | $2,203/mo | 36.8% | stretched |
| Seattle, WA | $2,224/mo | 37.1% | stretched |
| Enumclaw, WA | $2,227/mo | 37.2% | stretched |
| Yelm, WA | $2,226/mo | 37.2% | stretched |
| Camas, WA | $2,237/mo | 37.4% | stretched |
| Puyallup, WA | $2,246/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| East Wenatchee, WA | $2,247/mo | 37.5% | stretched |
| Edmonds, WA | $2,301/mo | 38.4% | stretched |
| Kingston, WA | $2,300/mo | 38.4% | stretched |
| Battle Ground, WA | $2,320/mo | 38.7% | stretched |
| Newcastle, WA | $2,320/mo | 38.7% | stretched |
| Mukilteo, WA | $2,365/mo | 39.5% | stretched |
| Covington, WA | $2,367/mo | 39.5% | stretched |
| Mill Creek, WA | $2,374/mo | 39.7% | stretched |
| Monroe, WA | $2,377/mo | 39.7% | stretched |
| Stanwood, WA | $2,388/mo | 39.9% | stretched |
| Blaine, WA | $2,429/mo | 40.6% | rent-burdened |
| Frederickson, WA | $2,435/mo | 40.7% | rent-burdened |
| Kenmore, WA | $2,437/mo | 40.7% | rent-burdened |
| Woodinville, WA | $2,493/mo | 41.6% | rent-burdened |
| Graham, WA | $2,499/mo | 41.7% | rent-burdened |
| Lake Forest Park, WA | $2,573/mo | 43% | rent-burdened |
| Poulsbo, WA | $2,617/mo | 43.7% | rent-burdened |
| Kirkland, WA | $2,626/mo | 43.9% | rent-burdened |
| Redmond, WA | $2,640/mo | 44.1% | rent-burdened |
| Anacortes, WA | $2,644/mo | 44.2% | rent-burdened |
| Mercer Island, WA | $2,654/mo | 44.3% | rent-burdened |
| Marysville, WA | $2,656/mo | 44.4% | rent-burdened |
| Bothell, WA | $2,685/mo | 44.8% | rent-burdened |
| Camano Island, WA | $2,700/mo | 45.1% | rent-burdened |
| Bonney Lake, WA | $2,705/mo | 45.2% | rent-burdened |
| Dupont, WA | $2,773/mo | 46.3% | rent-burdened |
| Bellevue, WA | $2,796/mo | 46.7% | rent-burdened |
| Snohomish, WA | $2,839/mo | 47.4% | rent-burdened |
| Spanaway, WA | $2,841/mo | 47.5% | rent-burdened |
| Gig Harbor, WA | $2,938/mo | 49.1% | rent-burdened |
| Lake Stevens, WA | $2,964/mo | 49.5% | rent-burdened |
| Issaquah, WA | $2,996/mo | 50% | severely rent-burdened |
| Maple Valley, WA | $3,047/mo | 50.9% | severely rent-burdened |
| Bainbridge Island, WA | $3,151/mo | 52.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Snoqualmie, WA | $3,173/mo | 53% | severely rent-burdened |
| North Bend, WA | $3,269/mo | 54.6% | severely rent-burdened |
| Sammamish, WA | $3,738/mo | 62.4% | severely rent-burdened |