Washington · Free comparisons

Find your Washington rent vs buy calculator

Choose a city, enter comparable homes, and test the cost of moving sooner or staying longer.

18 city comparisons start from 10 county datasets. Cities in the same county share reference values. These are regional housing indices, not city medians or a statewide average.

Browse all cities ↓Use my own numbers →

18 city pages. Open a location, then replace the starting values with homes you would actually rent or buy.

Start with a city

Seattle, WATacoma, WASpokane, WA

Published by RentalCalcs · Content and usability reviewed .

Data periods and program effective dates are shown separately. Report a correction.

City calculators, grouped by their county reference

Home values use Zillow ZHVI; monthly rents use Zillow ZORI. Each has its own observation date. Open a city to adjust price, rent, financing and your time horizon.

Benton County

Home value · ZHVI
$448,538
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,709

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Clark County

Home value · ZHVI
$544,824
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,891

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Franklin County

Home value · ZHVI
$416,623
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,663

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Pierce County

Home value · ZHVI
$564,102
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,980

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Part of Auburn is also in Pierce County. Its city calculator starts with King County values; replace them with your own comparable properties.

Spokane County

Home value · ZHVI
$422,402
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,539

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Thurston County

Home value · ZHVI
$524,886
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,080

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Whatcom County

Home value · ZHVI
$610,710
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,984

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Yakima County

Home value · ZHVI
$351,947
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,377

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Turn a regional reference into your decision

  1. 1. Compare similar homes. Match bedrooms, property type, condition and location. The home-value and rent indices cover different housing stocks; their ratio alone cannot tell you which option is better.
  2. 2. Check the property's costs. Replace the illustrative tax rate, insurance and HOA assumptions. Use the county assessor and treasurer directory to find the actual tax bill.
  3. 3. Test more than one exit date. Each city calculator compares the monthly budget, cash at closing and wealth after selling costs. Try a shorter stay and less favorable growth assumptions before opening the full calculator.

Coverage and sources

These 10 counties are the starting references for the listed cities; this is not complete coverage of Washington. City pages include the source series, county FIPS, observation month, retrieval date and download links. Read Zillow's index definitions. Download dates do not make the underlying observations newer.

County references were checked against the Washington Courts county-city directory. Check your actual address before using a county source.

Cities spanning counties: Auburn starts with King County only. Each city page explains the boundary and the alternate reference path.

There is no statewide buy-or-rent verdict here. Results depend on the properties and assumptions you enter. The comparisons are free; the full calculator also offers an optional paid report.