Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning in Washington
The widest gaps between median rent and the full monthly cost of owning the median home. A large gap does not automatically mean renting is the better decision, because rent buys no equity and is not fixed for thirty years, but it does show where the market prices ownership at a steep premium.
Washington ranked
| # | County | Monthly saved by renting | Median rent | Monthly to own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | King County | $3,866 | $2,035 | $5,901 |
| 2 | San Juan County | $3,732 | $1,413 | $5,145 |
| 3 | Snohomish County | $2,843 | $1,866 | $4,709 |
| 4 | Skamania County | $2,453 | $1,024 | $3,477 |
| 5 | Whatcom County | $2,450 | $1,465 | $3,915 |
| 6 | Jefferson County | $2,346 | $1,291 | $3,637 |
| 7 | Island County | $2,274 | $1,631 | $3,905 |
| 8 | Skagit County | $2,176 | $1,439 | $3,615 |
| 9 | Chelan County | $2,171 | $1,182 | $3,353 |
| 10 | Kittitas County | $2,133 | $1,253 | $3,386 |
| 11 | Kitsap County | $1,999 | $1,741 | $3,740 |
| 12 | Clark County | $1,964 | $1,668 | $3,632 |
| 13 | Pierce County | $1,927 | $1,722 | $3,649 |
| 14 | Douglas County | $1,785 | $1,234 | $3,019 |
| 15 | Clallam County | $1,774 | $1,110 | $2,884 |
| 16 | Thurston County | $1,765 | $1,634 | $3,399 |
| 17 | Walla Walla County | $1,751 | $1,113 | $2,864 |
| 18 | Klickitat County | $1,746 | $1,119 | $2,865 |
| 19 | Mason County | $1,625 | $1,205 | $2,830 |
| 20 | Spokane County | $1,617 | $1,200 | $2,817 |
| 21 | Cowlitz County | $1,610 | $1,169 | $2,779 |
| 22 | Pend Oreille County | $1,538 | $786 | $2,324 |
| 23 | Benton County | $1,530 | $1,256 | $2,786 |
| 24 | Lewis County | $1,525 | $1,044 | $2,569 |
| 25 | Wahkiakum County | $1,473 | $1,086 | $2,559 |
| 26 | Whitman County | $1,464 | $1,002 | $2,466 |
| 27 | Stevens County | $1,459 | $864 | $2,323 |
| 28 | Franklin County | $1,442 | $1,171 | $2,613 |
| 29 | Ferry County | $1,390 | $703 | $2,093 |
| 30 | Okanogan County | $1,320 | $868 | $2,188 |
| 31 | Asotin County | $1,214 | $994 | $2,208 |
| 32 | Lincoln County | $1,192 | $872 | $2,064 |
| 33 | Pacific County | $1,166 | $962 | $2,128 |
| 34 | Grays Harbor County | $1,160 | $1,018 | $2,178 |
| 35 | Yakima County | $1,109 | $1,068 | $2,177 |
| 36 | Grant County | $1,081 | $1,059 | $2,140 |
| 37 | Adams County | $1,071 | $901 | $1,972 |
| 38 | Columbia County | $1,068 | $944 | $2,012 |
| 39 | Garfield County | $903 | $768 | $1,671 |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Nationwide
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in Washington