Rent Affordability for A Waiter or Waitress in Washington

A typical waiter or waitress in Washington earns about $40,914 a year, which supports approximately $1,023 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. 0 of 115 cities tracked stay within the 30% rule; 115 are rent-burdened on this salary.

CityMedian rent% of incomeAffordability
Longview, WA$1,296/mo38%stretched
Centralia, WA$1,300/mo38.1%stretched
Aberdeen, WA$1,313/mo38.5%stretched
Clarkston, WA$1,350/mo39.6%stretched
Yakima, WA$1,369/mo40.2%rent-burdened
Cheney, WA$1,451/mo42.6%rent-burdened
Chehalis, WA$1,475/mo43.3%rent-burdened
Moses Lake, WA$1,481/mo43.4%rent-burdened
Pullman, WA$1,493/mo43.8%rent-burdened
Spokane, WA$1,498/mo43.9%rent-burdened
Walla Walla, WA$1,506/mo44.2%rent-burdened
Spokane Valley, WA$1,549/mo45.4%rent-burdened
Kelso, WA$1,553/mo45.5%rent-burdened
Shelton, WA$1,553/mo45.5%rent-burdened
Leavenworth, WA$1,610/mo47.2%rent-burdened
Kennewick, WA$1,621/mo47.5%rent-burdened
Pasco, WA$1,665/mo48.8%rent-burdened
Colbert, WA$1,682/mo49.3%rent-burdened
Pacific, WA$1,691/mo49.6%rent-burdened
Lakewood, WA$1,708/mo50.1%severely rent-burdened
Ellensburg, WA$1,716/mo50.3%severely rent-burdened
Airway Heights, WA$1,721/mo50.5%severely rent-burdened
Parkland, WA$1,730/mo50.7%severely rent-burdened
Wenatchee, WA$1,729/mo50.7%severely rent-burdened
Tacoma, WA$1,749/mo51.3%severely rent-burdened
Selah, WA$1,757/mo51.5%severely rent-burdened
Port Angeles, WA$1,759/mo51.6%severely rent-burdened
Richland, WA$1,800/mo52.8%severely rent-burdened
Grandview, WA$1,800/mo52.8%severely rent-burdened
Vancouver, WA$1,818/mo53.3%severely rent-burdened
Liberty Lake, WA$1,834/mo53.8%severely rent-burdened
Ocean Shores, WA$1,836/mo53.8%severely rent-burdened
Burien, WA$1,896/mo55.6%severely rent-burdened
University Place, WA$1,904/mo55.8%severely rent-burdened
Sedro-Woolley, WA$1,906/mo55.9%severely rent-burdened
Riverton-Boulevard Park, WA$1,907/mo55.9%severely rent-burdened
Tumwater, WA$1,922/mo56.4%severely rent-burdened
Fife, WA$1,927/mo56.5%severely rent-burdened
Bremerton, WA$1,934/mo56.7%severely rent-burdened
La Center, WA$1,933/mo56.7%severely rent-burdened
Federal Way, WA$1,935/mo56.8%severely rent-burdened
Oak Harbor, WA$1,940/mo56.9%severely rent-burdened
Everett, WA$1,946/mo57.1%severely rent-burdened
Auburn, WA$1,953/mo57.3%severely rent-burdened
Seatac, WA$1,968/mo57.7%severely rent-burdened
Kent, WA$1,978/mo58%severely rent-burdened
Bellingham, WA$1,976/mo58%severely rent-burdened
Tukwila, WA$1,983/mo58.2%severely rent-burdened
Silverdale, WA$1,991/mo58.4%severely rent-burdened
Steilacoom, WA$1,990/mo58.4%severely rent-burdened
Bryn Mawr-Skyway, WA$2,000/mo58.7%severely rent-burdened
Lynden, WA$2,006/mo58.8%severely rent-burdened
Ferndale, WA$2,007/mo58.9%severely rent-burdened
Olympia, WA$2,013/mo59%severely rent-burdened
Des Moines, WA$2,013/mo59%severely rent-burdened
Midland, WA$2,029/mo59.5%severely rent-burdened
Shoreline, WA$2,042/mo59.9%severely rent-burdened
Mountlake Terrace, WA$2,078/mo60.9%severely rent-burdened
Clover Creek, WA$2,077/mo60.9%severely rent-burdened
Mount Vernon, WA$2,084/mo61.1%severely rent-burdened
West Richland, WA$2,104/mo61.7%severely rent-burdened
Edgewood, WA$2,106/mo61.8%severely rent-burdened
Burlington, WA$2,110/mo61.9%severely rent-burdened
Port Orchard, WA$2,135/mo62.6%severely rent-burdened
Milton, WA$2,136/mo62.6%severely rent-burdened
Lacey, WA$2,163/mo63.4%severely rent-burdened
Fircrest, WA$2,169/mo63.6%severely rent-burdened
Arlington, WA$2,183/mo64%severely rent-burdened
Renton, WA$2,191/mo64.3%severely rent-burdened
Lynnwood, WA$2,191/mo64.3%severely rent-burdened
Ridgefield, WA$2,196/mo64.4%severely rent-burdened
Washougal, WA$2,202/mo64.6%severely rent-burdened
Sumner, WA$2,203/mo64.6%severely rent-burdened
Seattle, WA$2,224/mo65.2%severely rent-burdened
Enumclaw, WA$2,227/mo65.3%severely rent-burdened
Yelm, WA$2,226/mo65.3%severely rent-burdened
Camas, WA$2,237/mo65.6%severely rent-burdened
Puyallup, WA$2,246/mo65.9%severely rent-burdened
East Wenatchee, WA$2,247/mo65.9%severely rent-burdened
Edmonds, WA$2,301/mo67.5%severely rent-burdened
Kingston, WA$2,300/mo67.5%severely rent-burdened
Battle Ground, WA$2,320/mo68%severely rent-burdened
Newcastle, WA$2,320/mo68%severely rent-burdened
Mukilteo, WA$2,365/mo69.4%severely rent-burdened
Covington, WA$2,367/mo69.4%severely rent-burdened
Mill Creek, WA$2,374/mo69.6%severely rent-burdened
Monroe, WA$2,377/mo69.7%severely rent-burdened
Stanwood, WA$2,388/mo70%severely rent-burdened
Blaine, WA$2,429/mo71.2%severely rent-burdened
Frederickson, WA$2,435/mo71.4%severely rent-burdened
Kenmore, WA$2,437/mo71.5%severely rent-burdened
Woodinville, WA$2,493/mo73.1%severely rent-burdened
Graham, WA$2,499/mo73.3%severely rent-burdened
Lake Forest Park, WA$2,573/mo75.5%severely rent-burdened
Poulsbo, WA$2,617/mo76.8%severely rent-burdened
Kirkland, WA$2,626/mo77%severely rent-burdened
Redmond, WA$2,640/mo77.4%severely rent-burdened
Anacortes, WA$2,644/mo77.5%severely rent-burdened
Mercer Island, WA$2,654/mo77.8%severely rent-burdened
Marysville, WA$2,656/mo77.9%severely rent-burdened
Bothell, WA$2,685/mo78.8%severely rent-burdened
Camano Island, WA$2,700/mo79.2%severely rent-burdened
Bonney Lake, WA$2,705/mo79.3%severely rent-burdened
Dupont, WA$2,773/mo81.3%severely rent-burdened
Bellevue, WA$2,796/mo82%severely rent-burdened
Spanaway, WA$2,841/mo83.3%severely rent-burdened
Snohomish, WA$2,839/mo83.3%severely rent-burdened
Gig Harbor, WA$2,938/mo86.2%severely rent-burdened
Lake Stevens, WA$2,964/mo86.9%severely rent-burdened
Issaquah, WA$2,996/mo87.9%severely rent-burdened
Maple Valley, WA$3,047/mo89.4%severely rent-burdened
Bainbridge Island, WA$3,151/mo92.4%severely rent-burdened
Snoqualmie, WA$3,173/mo93.1%severely rent-burdened
North Bend, WA$3,269/mo95.9%severely rent-burdened
Sammamish, WA$3,738/mo109.6%severely rent-burdened
Methodology: Salary is the BLS-derived state estimate for Washington. Rent is the latest ZORI monthly value for each city. Affordability uses the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income).