Data / Rankings / Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) / Cities in Washington

Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)

Pullman, WA had the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) of 91 cities in 2021, at 66.4%. West Richland, WA had the lowest, at 29.3%. The median was 50.4% and the figure for Washington was 48.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest66.4Pullman, WA
Lowest29.3West Richland, WA
Median50.491 cities
Washington48.2History

Top 40 cities, 2021

Pullman, WA: 66.4 %Pullman, WA66.4Des Moines, WA: 63.1 %Des Moines, WA63.1Lynnwood, WA: 61.3 %Lynnwood, WA61.3Bellingham, WA: 60.7 %Bellingham, WA60.7Cheney, WA: 60.2 %Cheney, WA60.2Kelso, WA: 59.7 %Kelso, WA59.7Port Orchard, WA: 59.7 %Port Orchard, WA59.7Ellensburg, WA: 59.3 %Ellensburg, WA59.3Federal Way, WA: 58.9 %Federal Way, WA58.9Ferndale, WA: 58.4 %Ferndale, WA58.4Shelton, WA: 58.2 %Shelton, WA58.2Kennewick, WA: 58 %Kennewick, WA58Shoreline, WA: 57.9 %Shoreline, WA57.9Burlington, WA: 57.9 %Burlington, WA57.9Mount Vernon, WA: 57.1 %Mount Vernon, WA57.1Lacey, WA: 56.8 %Lacey, WA56.8Lake Stevens, WA: 56.3 %Lake Stevens, WA56.3Covington, WA: 56 %Covington, WA56Olympia, WA: 55.6 %Olympia, WA55.6Port Angeles, WA: 55.5 %Port Angeles, WA55.5Airway Heights, WA: 55 %Airway Heights, WA55Walla Walla, WA: 55 %Walla Walla, WA55Oak Harbor, WA: 54.1 %Oak Harbor, WA54.1Bremerton, WA: 53.9 %Bremerton, WA53.9Everett, WA: 53.4 %Everett, WA53.4Kent, WA: 53.2 %Kent, WA53.2Vancouver, WA: 53.1 %Vancouver, WA53.1Auburn, WA: 52.9 %Auburn, WA52.9Puyallup, WA: 52.7 %Puyallup, WA52.7Port Townsend, WA: 52.6 %Port Townsend, WA52.6Aberdeen, WA: 52.6 %Aberdeen, WA52.6Tacoma, WA: 52.3 %Tacoma, WA52.3Burien, WA: 52.2 %Burien, WA52.2Lakewood, WA: 52.2 %Lakewood, WA52.2Pasco, WA: 51.9 %Pasco, WA51.9Sedro-Woolley, WA: 51.8 %Sedro-Woolley, WA51.8Woodinville, WA: 51.5 %Woodinville, WA51.5Mercer Island, WA: 51.4 %Mercer Island, WA51.4University Place, WA: 51.3 %University Place, WA51.3SeaTac, WA: 51.3 %SeaTac, WA51.3Pullman, WA: 66.4 %Pullman, WA66.4Des Moines, WA: 63.1 %Des Moines, WA63.1Lynnwood, WA: 61.3 %Lynnwood, WA61.3Bellingham, WA: 60.7 %Bellingham, WA60.7Cheney, WA: 60.2 %Cheney, WA60.2Kelso, WA: 59.7 %Kelso, WA59.7Port Orchard, WA: 59.7 %Port Orchard, WA59.7Ellensburg, WA: 59.3 %Ellensburg, WA59.3Federal Way, WA: 58.9 %Federal Way, WA58.9Ferndale, WA: 58.4 %Ferndale, WA58.4Shelton, WA: 58.2 %Shelton, WA58.2Kennewick, WA: 58 %Kennewick, WA58Shoreline, WA: 57.9 %Shoreline, WA57.9Burlington, WA: 57.9 %Burlington, WA57.9Mount Vernon, WA: 57.1 %Mount Vernon, WA57.1Lacey, WA: 56.8 %Lacey, WA56.8Lake Stevens, WA: 56.3 %Lake Stevens, WA56.3Covington, WA: 56 %Covington, WA56Olympia, WA: 55.6 %Olympia, WA55.6Port Angeles, WA: 55.5 %Port Angeles, WA55.5Airway Heights, WA: 55 %Airway Heights, WA55Walla Walla, WA: 55 %Walla Walla, WA55Oak Harbor, WA: 54.1 %Oak Harbor, WA54.1Bremerton, WA: 53.9 %Bremerton, WA53.9Everett, WA: 53.4 %Everett, WA53.4Kent, WA: 53.2 %Kent, WA53.2Vancouver, WA: 53.1 %Vancouver, WA53.1Auburn, WA: 52.9 %Auburn, WA52.9Puyallup, WA: 52.7 %Puyallup, WA52.7Port Townsend, WA: 52.6 %Port Townsend, WA52.6Aberdeen, WA: 52.6 %Aberdeen, WA52.6Tacoma, WA: 52.3 %Tacoma, WA52.3Burien, WA: 52.2 %Burien, WA52.2Lakewood, WA: 52.2 %Lakewood, WA52.2Pasco, WA: 51.9 %Pasco, WA51.9Sedro-Woolley, WA: 51.8 %Sedro-Woolley, WA51.8Woodinville, WA: 51.5 %Woodinville, WA51.5Mercer Island, WA: 51.4 %Mercer Island, WA51.4University Place, WA: 51.3 %University Place, WA51.3SeaTac, WA: 51.3 %SeaTac, WA51.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Pullman, WA66.4
2Des Moines, WA63.1
3Lynnwood, WA61.3
4Bellingham, WA60.7
5Cheney, WA60.2
6Kelso, WA59.7
7Port Orchard, WA59.7
8Ellensburg, WA59.3
9Federal Way, WA58.9
10Ferndale, WA58.4
11Shelton, WA58.2
12Kennewick, WA58
13Shoreline, WA57.9
14Burlington, WA57.9
15Mount Vernon, WA57.1
16Lacey, WA56.8
17Lake Stevens, WA56.3
18Covington, WA56
19Olympia, WA55.6
20Port Angeles, WA55.5
21Airway Heights, WA55
22Walla Walla, WA55
23Oak Harbor, WA54.1
24Bremerton, WA53.9
25Everett, WA53.4
26Kent, WA53.2
27Vancouver, WA53.1
28Auburn, WA52.9
29Puyallup, WA52.7
30Port Townsend, WA52.6
31Aberdeen, WA52.6
32Tacoma, WA52.3
33Burien, WA52.2
34Lakewood, WA52.2
35Pasco, WA51.9
36Sedro-Woolley, WA51.8
37Woodinville, WA51.5
38Mercer Island, WA51.4
39University Place, WA51.3
40SeaTac, WA51.3
41Marysville, WA51.3
42Mukilteo, WA51
43Poulsbo, WA51
44Renton, WA50.8
45Spokane, WA50.4
46Ridgefield, WA50.4
47Longview, WA50.3
48Spokane Valley, WA50
49Centralia, WA49.7
50Sumner, WA49.6
51Newcastle, WA49.6
52Tumwater, WA49.5
53Enumclaw, WA49.2
54Maple Valley, WA49.1
55Gig Harbor, WA49
56Yelm, WA48.9
57Lynden, WA48.8
58Arlington, WA48.4
59Lake Forest Park, WA48.1
60Edmonds, WA48
61Fife, WA47.8
62Yakima, WA47.5
63Kenmore, WA47.5
64Liberty Lake, WA47.2
65Tukwila, WA47.1
66Mill Creek, WA46.8
67Moses Lake, WA46.6
68Mountlake Terrace, WA46.6
69Bothell, WA45.7
70Washougal, WA44.8
71Anacortes, WA44.3
72Seattle, WA44
73Camas, WA43.3
74Wenatchee, WA41.8
75Snohomish, WA41.1
76Kirkland, WA41.1
77Sunnyside, WA40.9
78Issaquah, WA40.8
79Bonney Lake, WA40
80Snoqualmie, WA39.7
81Monroe, WA39.1
82Sammamish, WA37.9
83Edgewood, WA36.3
84Battle Ground, WA35
85East Wenatchee, WA34.8
86Bellevue, WA33.8
87Richland, WA33.6
88Grandview, WA33.5
89Bainbridge Island, WA32.9
90Redmond, WA32.5
91West Richland, WA29.3

Other periods

About this ranking

Renter households whose gross rent (contract rent plus utilities and fuels the renter pays) was 30 percent or more of household income in the past 12 months, as a percentage of renter households for which that ratio can be computed. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Renters who pay no cash rent and households with no or negative income are left out of both the count and the base. 30 percent is the usual US threshold for rent burden. The EU housing cost overburden rate (housing_cost_overburden_rate) uses 40 percent of disposable income, all housing costs and people instead of households, so the two cannot be compared.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_washington_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b25070.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Washington by rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

Pullman, WA, with 66.4% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income)?

West Richland, WA, with 29.3% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25070: renter-occupied units with gross rent of 30 percent or more of household income, as a percentage of units where it is computed, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income): other rankings

Cities in Washington: more rankings