Best rent-to-income cities in Washington

Cities in Washington ranked by lowest rent as a percentage of median household income. Cities with 15,000+ residents.

Key findings

Mercer Island ranks first, with rent at 15.3% of median household income.
Across all 73 cities on this list, the median rent is $2,051/mo.
Richland moved from #15 to #10 compared with a year ago.

Data as of September 2026. Twelve months of median rent as a share of Census median household income (5-year estimates). Updated monthly. Download this list (CSV)

Best value (RRS)Overheated (RRS)Most affordable Most expensive Rent falling Rent rising Best rent/income Most rent-burdened Record-high rent Seasonal swings Rent vs. income

73 cities

Rank	City	Rent/income	Median rent	Income	Vs. a year ago
01	Mercer IslandWA Pop. 25KCompare →	15.3%	$2,796/mo	$219,069	same
02	SammamishWA Pop. 66KCompare →	16.8%	$3,350/mo	$239,690	same
03	CamasWA Pop. 27KCompare →	18.9%	$2,221/mo	$141,126	↑1 from #4
04	RedmondWA Pop. 77KCompare →	19.0%	$2,577/mo	$162,560	↓1 from #3
05	BellevueWA Pop. 152KCompare →	20.0%	$2,759/mo	$165,576	same
06	West RichlandWA Pop. 18KCompare →	20.3%	$2,026/mo	$119,892	--
07	Bainbridge IslandWA Pop. 25KCompare →	20.8%	$2,989/mo	$172,188	↓1 from #6
08	KirklandWA Pop. 93KCompare →	20.9%	$2,619/mo	$150,414	↓1 from #7
09	ShorelineWA Pop. 61KCompare →	21.0%	$1,971/mo	$112,751	same
10	RichlandWA Pop. 63KCompare →	21.3%	$1,697/mo	$95,813	↑5 from #15
11	MukilteoWA Pop. 21KCompare →	21.3%	$2,355/mo	$132,861	↓3 from #8
12	BothellWA Pop. 50KCompare →	21.6%	$2,523/mo	$140,427	↓1 from #11
13	SeattleWA Pop. 754KCompare →	21.6%	$2,227/mo	$123,860	same
14	WashougalWA Pop. 17KCompare →	21.8%	$1,930/mo	$106,368	same
15	CovingtonWA Pop. 21KCompare →	22.2%	$2,491/mo	$134,502	↓5 from #10
16	EdmondsWA Pop. 43KCompare →	22.3%	$2,278/mo	$122,449	↓4 from #12
17	KenmoreWA Pop. 24KCompare →	22.5%	$2,623/mo	$139,764	same
18	IssaquahWA Pop. 40KCompare →	22.7%	$2,929/mo	$154,669	↑1 from #19
19	LyndenWA Pop. 16KCompare →	22.9%	$1,971/mo	$103,233	↑2 from #21
20	BurienWA Pop. 52KCompare →	23.0%	$1,748/mo	$91,318	same
21	Bonney LakeWA Pop. 22KCompare →	23.0%	$2,627/mo	$136,845	↓5 from #16
22	Mill CreekWA Pop. 21KCompare →	23.1%	$2,391/mo	$124,364	same
23	University PlaceWA Pop. 35KCompare →	23.2%	$1,916/mo	$99,031	↓5 from #18
24	Moses LakeWA Pop. 26KCompare →	23.3%	$1,451/mo	$74,752	↑2 from #26
25	Maple ValleyWA Pop. 28KCompare →	23.4%	$2,985/mo	$152,885	↓1 from #24
26	Mountlake TerraceWA Pop. 23KCompare →	23.5%	$2,112/mo	$107,687	↓1 from #25
27	SilverdaleWA Pop. 21KCompare →	23.8%	$2,093/mo	$105,483	↓4 from #23
28	PascoWA Pop. 80KCompare →	23.9%	$1,707/mo	$85,586	↑3 from #31
29	Spokane ValleyWA Pop. 106KCompare →	24.7%	$1,525/mo	$74,042	same
30	Battle GroundWA Pop. 22KCompare →	24.7%	$2,163/mo	$104,977	↓2 from #28
31	TacomaWA Pop. 223KCompare →	24.8%	$1,773/mo	$85,884	↓1 from #30
32	FredericksonWA Pop. 25KCompare →	24.9%	$2,270/mo	$109,500	↑3 from #35
33	AuburnWA Pop. 86KCompare →	24.9%	$2,032/mo	$97,884	↓6 from #27
34	LongviewWA Pop. 38KCompare →	25.2%	$1,297/mo	$61,747	↓1 from #33
35	SpokaneWA Pop. 230KCompare →	25.4%	$1,483/mo	$70,064	↓3 from #32
36	YakimaWA Pop. 97KCompare →	25.4%	$1,330/mo	$62,815	same
37	KentWA Pop. 136KCompare →	25.5%	$1,958/mo	$92,302	↑1 from #38
38	TumwaterWA Pop. 27KCompare →	25.8%	$2,051/mo	$95,212	↓1 from #37
39	MonroeWA Pop. 20KCompare →	25.9%	$2,382/mo	$110,461	↓5 from #34
40	GrahamWA Pop. 35KCompare →	25.9%	$2,523/mo	$116,862	same
41	VancouverWA Pop. 195KCompare →	26.6%	$1,803/mo	$81,338	↑4 from #45
42	Des MoinesWA Pop. 33KCompare →	26.7%	$2,055/mo	$92,483	↓3 from #39
43	Port OrchardWA Pop. 17KCompare →	26.8%	$2,006/mo	$89,795	↓2 from #41
44	Federal WayWA Pop. 99KCompare →	26.8%	$1,944/mo	$86,909	↓2 from #42
45	RentonWA Pop. 105KCompare →	26.9%	$2,252/mo	$100,432	↓2 from #43
46	PuyallupWA Pop. 43KCompare →	27.0%	$2,199/mo	$97,826	↑1 from #47
47	KennewickWA Pop. 85KCompare →	27.0%	$1,654/mo	$73,576	↓1 from #46
48	Bryn Mawr-SkywayWA Pop. 18KCompare →	27.3%	$2,068/mo	$90,969	↓4 from #44
49	LaceyWA Pop. 58KCompare →	27.5%	$2,075/mo	$90,625	↑1 from #50
50	EverettWA Pop. 112KCompare →	27.6%	$1,919/mo	$83,512	↓2 from #48