Renton vs Yakima
The short version
- Yakima is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 14% lower than in the Renton area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $297,600 in Yakima and $672,600 in Renton.
- Households earn more in Renton ($100,432 vs $62,815 median).
- Renton has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 40°F.
- Yakima gets far more snow: 20 inches a year vs 6.
- Yakima has more scorching days: 40 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 4.
- Yakima is growing faster: +0.5% since 2020 vs -1.8%.
- Commutes are shorter in Yakima (18 vs 30 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Renton, WA | Yakima, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 104,975 | 97,458 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.8% | +0.5% |
| People per square mile | 4,459 | 3,470 |
| Median age | 36.5 | 34.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40% | 21% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $100,432 | $62,815 |
| Median home value | $672,600 | $297,600 |
| Home value to income | 6.7× | 4.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,998 | $1,117 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 111.1 | 95.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 151.3 | 72.6 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $83,300 | $71,700 |
| Homeowners | 54% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | None | None |
| Combined sales tax | 9.57% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 29.7 | 17.8 |
| Work from home | 22% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 4% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.9% | 8.4% |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 16.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 38° | 40° / 24° |
| July high / low | 77° / 57° | 90° / 55° |
| Precipitation per year | 39 in | 8 in |
| Snowfall per year | 6 in | 20 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 4 | 40 |
| Nights below freezing | 25 | 147 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.7 | 94.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 56% | 62% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.3% | +2.4% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +24.6% | +34.3% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Renton: May to September. Yakima: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Renton weather by month and Yakima weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $83,300 in Renton and $71,700 in Yakima. Moving from Renton to Yakima, you would need about $64,500 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Renton and Yakima
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Renton and Yakima.
Which would you pick?
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