Olympia, WA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Olympia, WA Summary
Cost of living in Olympia research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Olympia is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Olympia is 128, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Olympia is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Olympia ranks as the #80 cheapest in Washington out of 192.
Olympia ranks as the #4,889 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Olympia is $536,434.
The median income in Olympia is $76,930.
Table Of Contents
Olympia's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Olympia, WA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Olympia has an overall cost of living index of 128, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Washington, Olympia has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 118.
The standard of living in Olympia ranks as #80 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Olympia ranks as the #112 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.
For more reading on life in Olympia, check out:
In Washington
In America
Olympia Cost Of Living Vs. Washington
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Olympia. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Olympia is 114.
The Groceries index in Olympia is 111.
The Health index in Olympia is 122.
The Housing index in Olympia is 163.
The Transportation index in Olympia is 128.
The Utilities index in Olympia is 97.
| Living Expense | Olympia | Washington | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 128 | 118 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 111 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 111 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 122 | 122 | 100 | |
| Housing | 163 | 135 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 128 | 124 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 97 | 91 | 100 | |
Olympia, WA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Olympia is $536,434.
The Median Rent in Olympia is $1,509.
The Median Income in Olympia is $76,930.
The Home Value To Income in Olympia is 7.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Olympia is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Olympia | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $536,434 | $595,737 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,509 | $1,682 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $76,930 | $94,952 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.0x | 6.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Olympia, WA Costs By Category
Detailed Olympia Services Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Olympia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.21 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.25 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $13.08 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.33 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $30.83 | $45.56 |
Detailed Olympia Groceries Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Olympia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.83 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.44 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.86 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.15 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.32 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.62 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.47 | $3.7 |
Detailed Olympia Health Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Olympia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $155.39 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $188.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.89 | $113.29 |
Detailed Olympia Transportation Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Olympia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.37 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $69.72 | $59.92 |
Detailed Olympia Utilities Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Olympia | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $126.2 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $189.62 | $192.25 |
Olympia SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Olympia
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Olympia. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Lakewood, WA has a cost of living index of 127, 1.0x Olympia.
Lacey, WA has a cost of living index of 126, 1.0x Olympia.
Tumwater, WA has a cost of living index of 127, 1.0x Olympia.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood, WA | 63,034 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Lacey, WA | 57,088 | 126 | 1.0x |
| Tumwater, WA | 26,519 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Fort Lewis, WA | 13,983 | 137 | 1.1x |
| Shelton, WA | 10,619 | 112 | 0.9x |
| Yelm, WA | 10,618 | 123 | 1.0x |
| DuPont, WA | 9,952 | 137 | 1.1x |
| Tanglewilde, WA | 6,822 | 122 | 1.0x |
| Steilacoom, WA | 6,683 | 137 | 1.1x |
