White Center, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In White Center, WA Summary

Cost of living in White Center 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 White Center 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 White Center is 145, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in White Center is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • White Center ranks as the #143 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • White Center ranks as the #5,566 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in White Center is $677,912.

  • The median income in White Center is $82,500.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
145
White Center's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in White Center, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, White Center has an overall cost of living index of 145, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, White Center has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in White Center ranks as #143 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies White Center ranks as the #49 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in White Center, check out:

143 out of 192
In Washington
5,566 out of 6,489
In America

White Center Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in White Center is 119.

  • The Groceries index in White Center is 117.

  • The Health index in White Center is 136.

  • The Housing index in White Center is 201.

  • The Transportation index in White Center is 130.

  • The Utilities index in White Center is 101.

Living Expense White Center Washington National Average
Overall 145 118 100
Services 119 111 100
Groceries 117 112 100
Health 136 122 100
Housing 201 135 100
Transportation 130 124 100
Utilities 101 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
White Center Cost of Living Vs. WA

White Center, 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 White Center is $677,912.

  • The Median Rent in White Center is $1,556.

  • The Median Income in White Center is $82,500.

  • The Home Value To Income in White Center is 8.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in White Center is 0.23x.

Statistic White Center Washington United States
Median Home Value $677,912 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,556 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $82,500 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.2x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.21x 0.21x
$677,912
Median Home Value
$1,556
Median Rent
$82,500
Median Income

White Center, WA Costs By Category

Detailed White Center Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item White Center Washington
Shampoo $1.4 $1.28
Movie $16.37 $12.13
Bowling $21.59 $18
Haircut $50.2 $24.26
Beauty Salon $72.25 $45.56

Detailed White Center Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item White Center Washington
Ground Beef $5.54 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.55 $1.57
Milk $5.1 $4.67
Potatoes $4.49 $4.93
Pizza $14.4 $12.09
Beer $12.14 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.96 $3.7

Detailed White Center Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item White Center Washington
Optometrist $198.49 $125.68
Doctor $236.25 $135.78
Dentist $149.39 $113.29

Detailed White Center Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item White Center Washington
Gasoline $4.66 $3.46
Tire Balancing $67.2 $59.92

Detailed White Center Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item White Center Washington
All Electricity $193.41 $193.99
Phone $202.97 $192.25

White Center SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
3
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
6
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around White Center

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

  • Seattle, WA has a cost of living index of 179, 1.2x White Center.

  • Tacoma, WA has a cost of living index of 130, 0.9x White Center.

  • Renton, WA has a cost of living index of 147, 1.0x White Center.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. White Center
Seattle, WA 741,440 179 1.2x
Tacoma, WA 220,482 130 0.9x
Renton, WA 105,279 147 1.0x
Burien, WA 51,331 142 1.0x
Bremerton, WA 44,531 123 0.8x
Des Moines, WA 32,545 137 0.9x
SeaTac, WA 31,143 132 0.9x
Mercer Island, WA 25,282 263 1.8x
Bainbridge Island, WA 24,607 185 1.3x
Tukwila, WA 21,479 129 0.9x

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