Yakima cost of living
Prices in the Yakima, WA metro area run at 95.5 against a national average of 100, ranking it #159 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 72.6.
What drives the number
Prices in Yakima run at 95.5 where the national average is 100, so about 4.5 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #159 of 387 metro areas. Against Washington as a whole it is 11.5 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 72.6 against goods at 105.0 and other services at 91.9, so the overall figure of 95.5 understates how affordable the housing itself is. That combination, ordinary prices with cheap rent, is what people are usually looking for and rarely find. Goods at 105.0 are themselves 5 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
A salary here goes further than the same salary somewhere at 100. Divide by 95.5 and multiply by 100 to get the nationally comparable figure, and it will come out higher than the headline.
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 Yakima 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 4,890 | $44,280 | $46,366 | $34,900 |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 3,520 | $34,710 | $36,346 | $35,580 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,980 | $34,950 | $36,597 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,550 | $35,850 | $37,539 | $34,580 |
| Cashiers | 2,220 | $35,050 | $36,702 | $31,190 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 2,170 | $45,400 | $47,539 | $35,240 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,100 | $39,680 | $41,550 | $37,090 |
| Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 1,810 | $34,840 | $36,482 | $35,430 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 95.5.
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 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | 103.9 | 115.0 | #37 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | 103.7 | 116.7 | #38 |
| Bellingham | 103.3 | 112.9 | #42 |
Yakima: common questions
Is Yakima expensive?
Prices are 4.5% below the national average, a parity of 95.5 where the country is 100. It ranks #159 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Washington as a whole it is 11.5 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Yakima?
The median worker there earns $46,740, which buys what $48,942 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 72.6 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.