Kent, WA Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Kent, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Kent →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Population in Kent, Washington runs approximately 135,169. Median household income sits at $86,966, landing above the benchmark median we track across cities (+21%).
For renters and buyers alike, Kent offers a median home value of $478,400 (above the tracked median, +46%) and median rent of $1,742 monthly. Local property taxes and current mortgage rates will shape the real cost of buying.
Home values running about 5.5× median income put Kent on the stretched end of the affordability spectrum among cities we cover. Year-over-year price growth near Kent has been minimal, at 0.89%. FEMA classifies Kent's hazard risk as Very High. That elevated rating is a major driver of home insurance premiums in the area.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,742/mo in Kent would take 24.0% of your income.
$432/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($478,400) would take 35.2% of your income toward principal & interest.
$525/mo over the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Kent
Median home value is $478,400 and median gross rent is $1,742/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for King rose 0.89% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $2,501/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates Kent's overall natural-hazard risk as Very High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
Kent reported a violent crime rate of 282.6 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Kent
Planning a move to Kent? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Kent, WA?
- Kent's key cost-of-living figures: $478,400 median home value, $1,742 median monthly rent, and $86,966 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kent?
- Comfortably affording rent in Kent — where the median runs $1,742/month — typically means earning about $69,680 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Kent.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Kent?
- Renting in Kent at the median $1,742/month calls for about $69,680 a year under the standard 30% guideline; buying the median home at $478,400 takes roughly $109,455 a year in principal and interest (20% down, 30-year fixed, current rates). Timeline and down payment usually decide which makes more sense.
- Is Kent safe?
- Kent's violent crime rate, per FBI reporting for 2025, stands at 282.6 per 100,000 residents.
See the full salary breakdown for Kent →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of Kent's.