Wenatchee-East Wenatchee cost of living
Prices in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metro area run at 103.9 against a national average of 100, ranking it #37 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 115.0.
What drives the number
Prices in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee run at 103.9 where the national average is 100, so about 3.9 per cent above the country as a whole. It ranks #37 of 387 metro areas. Against Washington as a whole it is 3.1 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is doing nearly all of the work. Rents sit at 115.0 while goods sit at 105.0, a gap of 11.1 points between what it costs to live somewhere and what it costs to buy things. Someone who could reduce their housing cost here, by living further out or with fewer rooms, would remove most of the premium. Goods at 105.0 are themselves 5 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Comparing a job here against one elsewhere on the headline salary alone will mislead by roughly 3.9 per cent. Adjusting by the parity fixes that.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,580 | $36,510 | $35,140 | $34,580 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 1,580 | $35,140 | $33,821 | $35,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,550 | $35,050 | $33,734 | $30,480 |
| Registered Nurses | 1,340 | $108,350 | $104,283 | $93,600 |
| Cashiers | 1,280 | $35,410 | $34,081 | $31,190 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,090 | $46,350 | $44,610 | $34,900 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 950 | $45,540 | $43,831 | $33,760 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 920 | $39,540 | $38,056 | $37,090 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 103.9.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | 111.1 | 151.3 | #7 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | 105.6 | 129.6 | #26 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | 105.4 | 125.1 | #28 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | 103.7 | 116.7 | #38 |
| Bellingham | 103.3 | 112.9 | #42 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | 102.4 | 108.2 | #53 |
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee: common questions
Is Wenatchee-East Wenatchee expensive?
Prices are 3.9% above the national average, a parity of 103.9 where the country is 100. It ranks #37 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Washington as a whole it is 3.1 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee?
The median worker there earns $47,920, which buys what $46,121 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 115.0 against goods at 105.0. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.