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)

Des Moines, WA had the highest rent-burdened renter households (rent 30 percent or more of income) of 91 cities in 2023, at 68.7%. Redmond, WA had the lowest, at 33.8%. The median was 52.3% and the figure for Washington was 49.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest68.7Des Moines, WA
Lowest33.8Redmond, WA
Median52.391 cities
Washington49.3History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Des Moines, WA: 68.7 %Des Moines, WA68.7Pullman, WA: 64 %Pullman, WA64Bellingham, WA: 63.6 %Bellingham, WA63.6Burlington, WA: 62.2 %Burlington, WA62.2Sedro-Woolley, WA: 61.8 %Sedro-Woolley, WA61.8Ellensburg, WA: 60.7 %Ellensburg, WA60.7Port Orchard, WA: 60.1 %Port Orchard, WA60.1Lynnwood, WA: 59.8 %Lynnwood, WA59.8Federal Way, WA: 59.6 %Federal Way, WA59.6Cheney, WA: 59.3 %Cheney, WA59.3Olympia, WA: 59.3 %Olympia, WA59.3Ferndale, WA: 58.8 %Ferndale, WA58.8Woodinville, WA: 58.4 %Woodinville, WA58.4SeaTac, WA: 57.5 %SeaTac, WA57.5Lake Stevens, WA: 57.4 %Lake Stevens, WA57.4Centralia, WA: 56.9 %Centralia, WA56.9University Place, WA: 56.8 %University Place, WA56.8Kennewick, WA: 56.7 %Kennewick, WA56.7Oak Harbor, WA: 56.2 %Oak Harbor, WA56.2Mount Vernon, WA: 55.8 %Mount Vernon, WA55.8Everett, WA: 55.8 %Everett, WA55.8Kelso, WA: 55.8 %Kelso, WA55.8Port Angeles, WA: 55.7 %Port Angeles, WA55.7Lacey, WA: 55.4 %Lacey, WA55.4Kent, WA: 55.2 %Kent, WA55.2Shoreline, WA: 55.2 %Shoreline, WA55.2Bremerton, WA: 55 %Bremerton, WA55Renton, WA: 54.9 %Renton, WA54.9Maple Valley, WA: 54.7 %Maple Valley, WA54.7Mukilteo, WA: 54.6 %Mukilteo, WA54.6Mill Creek, WA: 54.5 %Mill Creek, WA54.5Shelton, WA: 54.3 %Shelton, WA54.3Auburn, WA: 54.2 %Auburn, WA54.2Lakewood, WA: 54.1 %Lakewood, WA54.1Tacoma, WA: 53.5 %Tacoma, WA53.5Washougal, WA: 53.4 %Washougal, WA53.4Marysville, WA: 53.2 %Marysville, WA53.2Burien, WA: 53.2 %Burien, WA53.2Spokane, WA: 53.1 %Spokane, WA53.1Vancouver, WA: 53.1 %Vancouver, WA53.1Des Moines, WA: 68.7 %Des Moines, WA68.7Pullman, WA: 64 %Pullman, WA64Bellingham, WA: 63.6 %Bellingham, WA63.6Burlington, WA: 62.2 %Burlington, WA62.2Sedro-Woolley, WA: 61.8 %Sedro-Woolley, WA61.8Ellensburg, WA: 60.7 %Ellensburg, WA60.7Port Orchard, WA: 60.1 %Port Orchard, WA60.1Lynnwood, WA: 59.8 %Lynnwood, WA59.8Federal Way, WA: 59.6 %Federal Way, WA59.6Cheney, WA: 59.3 %Cheney, WA59.3Olympia, WA: 59.3 %Olympia, WA59.3Ferndale, WA: 58.8 %Ferndale, WA58.8Woodinville, WA: 58.4 %Woodinville, WA58.4SeaTac, WA: 57.5 %SeaTac, WA57.5Lake Stevens, WA: 57.4 %Lake Stevens, WA57.4Centralia, WA: 56.9 %Centralia, WA56.9University Place, WA: 56.8 %University Place, WA56.8Kennewick, WA: 56.7 %Kennewick, WA56.7Oak Harbor, WA: 56.2 %Oak Harbor, WA56.2Mount Vernon, WA: 55.8 %Mount Vernon, WA55.8Everett, WA: 55.8 %Everett, WA55.8Kelso, WA: 55.8 %Kelso, WA55.8Port Angeles, WA: 55.7 %Port Angeles, WA55.7Lacey, WA: 55.4 %Lacey, WA55.4Kent, WA: 55.2 %Kent, WA55.2Shoreline, WA: 55.2 %Shoreline, WA55.2Bremerton, WA: 55 %Bremerton, WA55Renton, WA: 54.9 %Renton, WA54.9Maple Valley, WA: 54.7 %Maple Valley, WA54.7Mukilteo, WA: 54.6 %Mukilteo, WA54.6Mill Creek, WA: 54.5 %Mill Creek, WA54.5Shelton, WA: 54.3 %Shelton, WA54.3Auburn, WA: 54.2 %Auburn, WA54.2Lakewood, WA: 54.1 %Lakewood, WA54.1Tacoma, WA: 53.5 %Tacoma, WA53.5Washougal, WA: 53.4 %Washougal, WA53.4Marysville, WA: 53.2 %Marysville, WA53.2Burien, WA: 53.2 %Burien, WA53.2Spokane, WA: 53.1 %Spokane, WA53.1Vancouver, WA: 53.1 %Vancouver, WA53.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Des Moines, WA68.7+1.6 pts
2Pullman, WA64-1.2 pts
3Bellingham, WA63.6+2.3 pts
4Burlington, WA62.2+1.7 pts
5Sedro-Woolley, WA61.8+0.8 pts
6Ellensburg, WA60.7-0.1 pts
7Port Orchard, WA60.1-0.4 pts
8Lynnwood, WA59.8-0.3 pts
9Federal Way, WA59.6+1.4 pts
10Cheney, WA59.3-1.2 pts
11Olympia, WA59.3+2.8 pts
12Ferndale, WA58.8+0.2 pts
13Woodinville, WA58.4-0.6 pts
14SeaTac, WA57.5+3 pts
15Lake Stevens, WA57.4-2.4 pts
16Centralia, WA56.9+3.8 pts
17University Place, WA56.8+1.4 pts
18Kennewick, WA56.7-2.9 pts
19Oak Harbor, WA56.2+0.8 pts
20Mount Vernon, WA55.8-1.7 pts
21Everett, WA55.8+1.9 pts
22Kelso, WA55.8-1.6 pts
23Port Angeles, WA55.7-0.8 pts
24Lacey, WA55.4-0.8 pts
25Kent, WA55.2+3.1 pts
26Shoreline, WA55.2-0.7 pts
27Bremerton, WA55-0.1 pts
28Renton, WA54.9+3.9 pts
29Maple Valley, WA54.7+5.3 pts
30Mukilteo, WA54.6+3 pts
31Mill Creek, WA54.5+1.6 pts
32Shelton, WA54.3-2 pts
33Auburn, WA54.2+1.6 pts
34Lakewood, WA54.1+0.1 pts
35Tacoma, WA53.5-0.1 pts
36Washougal, WA53.4+8.3 pts
37Marysville, WA53.2+2.7 pts
38Burien, WA53.2+0.2 pts
39Spokane, WA53.1+1.9 pts
39Vancouver, WA53.10 pts
41Covington, WA53.1-0.2 pts
42Gig Harbor, WA53+0.5 pts
43Ridgefield, WA52.7+6.8 pts
44Enumclaw, WA52.6+3 pts
45Pasco, WA52.4+1.3 pts
46Port Townsend, WA52.3+4.3 pts
47Fife, WA52.2+0.9 pts
48Arlington, WA52.2+4.5 pts
49Poulsbo, WA52+1.1 pts
50Airway Heights, WA52-6.8 pts
51Walla Walla, WA52-3.8 pts
52Snohomish, WA51.6+4.7 pts
53Lynden, WA51.6+1 pts
54Moses Lake, WA51.2+2.7 pts
55Longview, WA51.1+0.8 pts
56Aberdeen, WA50.3-0.1 pts
57Mountlake Terrace, WA50.2+2.1 pts
58Spokane Valley, WA50.1-0.5 pts
59Bothell, WA50.1+1.9 pts
60Bonney Lake, WA48.9+6.4 pts
61Kenmore, WA48.9-1.6 pts
62Liberty Lake, WA48.7-1.5 pts
63Tukwila, WA48.6+0.5 pts
64Yakima, WA48.3-0.5 pts
65Edmonds, WA48.3-0.5 pts
66Lake Forest Park, WA48.2-0.3 pts
67Sunnyside, WA48+4.1 pts
68Tumwater, WA47.7-4.6 pts
69Puyallup, WA47.7-2.8 pts
70Yelm, WA47.5+7.4 pts
71Mercer Island, WA47.5-2.9 pts
72Anacortes, WA47.3+0.6 pts
73Edgewood, WA47.2+6 pts
74Newcastle, WA46.5+0.9 pts
75Wenatchee, WA44.1+0.7 pts
76Seattle, WA43.8-0.4 pts
77Monroe, WA42.5-2.2 pts
78Kirkland, WA42.3+0.3 pts
79East Wenatchee, WA41.7+4 pts
80Sammamish, WA41.4+0.4 pts
81West Richland, WA40.6+6.3 pts
82Issaquah, WA40.1-0.8 pts
83Sumner, WA38.8-9 pts
84Bainbridge Island, WA38.7+2.7 pts
85Richland, WA38.6+4.2 pts
86Camas, WA38.3+1.9 pts
87Battle Ground, WA38+1.8 pts
88Grandview, WA37.4+3.3 pts
89Snoqualmie, WA35.8+0.3 pts
90Bellevue, WA34.9+0.5 pts
91Redmond, WA33.8+0.2 pts

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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_washington_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25070.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/rent-burdened-households/washington-cities?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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.
rank_places {"indicator":"rent_burden_30_plus_share","level":"municipality","within":"Washington","limit":10}
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Questions

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

Des Moines, WA, with 68.7% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Redmond, WA, with 33.8% in 2023.

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