Shelton, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Shelton, WA Summary

Cost of living in Shelton 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 Shelton 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 Shelton is 112, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Shelton is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Shelton ranks as the #35 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Shelton ranks as the #3,863 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Shelton is $426,501.

  • The median income in Shelton is $60,589.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
112
Shelton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Shelton, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Shelton has an overall cost of living index of 112, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Shelton has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in Shelton ranks as #35 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Shelton ranks as the #157 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Shelton, check out:

35 out of 192
In Washington
3,863 out of 6,489
In America

Shelton Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in Shelton is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Shelton is 108.

  • The Health index in Shelton is 124.

  • The Housing index in Shelton is 104.

  • The Transportation index in Shelton is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Shelton is 98.

Living Expense Shelton Washington National Average
Overall 112 118 100
Services 113 111 100
Groceries 108 112 100
Health 124 122 100
Housing 104 135 100
Transportation 126 124 100
Utilities 98 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Shelton Cost of Living Vs. WA

Shelton, 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 Shelton is $426,501.

  • The Median Rent in Shelton is $1,298.

  • The Median Income in Shelton is $60,589.

  • The Home Value To Income in Shelton is 7.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Shelton is 0.26x.

Statistic Shelton Washington United States
Median Home Value $426,501 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,298 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $60,589 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.0x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.21x 0.21x
$426,501
Median Home Value
$1,298
Median Rent
$60,589
Median Income

Shelton, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Shelton Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Shelton 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 Shelton Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Shelton 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 Shelton Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Shelton Washington
Optometrist $155.39 $125.68
Doctor $188.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.89 $113.29

Detailed Shelton Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Shelton Washington
Gasoline $4.37 $3.46
Tire Balancing $69.72 $59.92

Detailed Shelton Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Shelton Washington
All Electricity $126.2 $193.99
Phone $189.62 $192.25

Shelton SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Shelton

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

  • Olympia, WA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.1x Shelton.

  • Bremerton, WA has a cost of living index of 123, 1.1x Shelton.

  • Parkland, WA has a cost of living index of 122, 1.1x Shelton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Shelton
Olympia, WA 55,583 128 1.1x
Bremerton, WA 44,531 123 1.1x
Parkland, WA 39,174 122 1.1x
Centralia, WA 18,457 108 1.0x
Aberdeen, WA 17,040 105 0.9x
Port Orchard, WA 16,398 135 1.2x
Gig Harbor, WA 12,202 154 1.4x
Fife, WA 10,902 133 1.2x
Summit View, WA 9,014 129 1.2x
Hoquiam, WA 8,792 102 0.9x

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