Residential comparison · 13 facts
Mercer Island, WA vs Renton, WA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Mercer Island needs about $77,500 in Renton to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Renton, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $92,500 in Mercer Island.
A few differences
- Mercer Island is higher on median household income ($219,069 vs $100,432).
- Renton is lower on cost of living index (133 vs 218).
- Renton is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,162/mo vs $2,929/mo).
Mercer Island vs Renton · facet by facet
| Facet | Mercer Island, WA | Renton, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $672,600 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,929/mo | $2,162/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| Cost of living index | 218 | 133 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $219,069 | $100,432 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 155 days | 155 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Mercer Island, WA · Renton, WA
Questions & answers
- Is Mercer Island cheaper than Renton?
- Renton has the lower day-to-day cost index (133 vs 218 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Renton equals $85,000 in Mercer Island?
- A household earning $85,000 in Mercer Island needs about $77,500 in Renton to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Renton lifestyle costs about $92,500 in Mercer Island.