Port Townsend, WA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Port Townsend, WA Summary

Cost of living in Port Townsend 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 Port Townsend 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 Port Townsend is 128, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Port Townsend is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Port Townsend ranks as the #80 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Port Townsend ranks as the #4,889 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Port Townsend is $647,424.

  • The median income in Port Townsend is $60,015.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
128
Port Townsend's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Port Townsend, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Port Townsend has an overall cost of living index of 128, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Port Townsend has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in Port Townsend ranks as #80 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Port Townsend ranks as the #112 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Port Townsend, check out:

80 out of 192
In Washington
4,889 out of 6,489
In America

Port Townsend Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Port Townsend. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Port Townsend is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Port Townsend is 111.

  • The Health index in Port Townsend is 124.

  • The Housing index in Port Townsend is 163.

  • The Transportation index in Port Townsend is 116.

  • The Utilities index in Port Townsend is 90.

Living Expense Port Townsend Washington National Average
Overall 128 118 100
Services 112 111 100
Groceries 111 112 100
Health 124 122 100
Housing 163 135 100
Transportation 116 124 100
Utilities 90 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Port Townsend Cost of Living Vs. WA

Port Townsend, 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 Port Townsend is $647,424.

  • The Median Rent in Port Townsend is $1,151.

  • The Median Income in Port Townsend is $60,015.

  • The Home Value To Income in Port Townsend is 10.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Port Townsend is 0.23x.

Statistic Port Townsend Washington United States
Median Home Value $647,424 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,151 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $60,015 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 10.8x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.21x 0.21x
$647,424
Median Home Value
$1,151
Median Rent
$60,015
Median Income

Port Townsend, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Port Townsend Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Port Townsend Washington
Shampoo $1.23 $1.28
Movie $12.82 $12.13
Bowling $18.58 $18
Haircut $26.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $67.83 $45.56

Detailed Port Townsend Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Port Townsend Washington
Ground Beef $6.76 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.22 $1.57
Milk $4.98 $4.67
Potatoes $4.43 $4.93
Pizza $12.95 $12.09
Beer $11.47 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.48 $3.7

Detailed Port Townsend Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Port Townsend Washington
Optometrist $187.66 $125.68
Doctor $228.42 $135.78
Dentist $136.92 $113.29

Detailed Port Townsend Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Port Townsend Washington
Gasoline $4.35 $3.46
Tire Balancing $87.22 $59.92

Detailed Port Townsend Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Port Townsend Washington
All Electricity $153.78 $193.99
Phone $202.97 $192.25

Port Townsend SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
5
Safety
6
Amenities
8
Education
10
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Port Townsend

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Port Townsend. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Bremerton, WA has a cost of living index of 123, 1.0x Port Townsend.

  • Mount Vernon, WA has a cost of living index of 123, 1.0x Port Townsend.

  • Bainbridge Island, WA has a cost of living index of 185, 1.4x Port Townsend.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Port Townsend
Bremerton, WA 44,531 123 1.0x
Mount Vernon, WA 35,312 123 1.0x
Bainbridge Island, WA 24,607 185 1.4x
Oak Harbor, WA 24,396 125 1.0x
Port Angeles, WA 20,087 115 0.9x
Port Orchard, WA 16,398 135 1.1x
Poulsbo, WA 11,962 140 1.1x
Snohomish, WA 10,177 137 1.1x
Burlington, WA 9,637 120 0.9x
Sequim, WA 8,130 114 0.9x

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