Yelm, WA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Yelm, WA Summary

Cost of living in Yelm 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 Yelm 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 Yelm is 123, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Yelm is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Yelm ranks as the #58 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Yelm ranks as the #4,598 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Yelm is $482,695.

  • The median income in Yelm is $88,279.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
123
Yelm's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Yelm, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Yelm has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Yelm has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Washington's index of 118.

The standard of living in Yelm ranks as #58 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Yelm ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Yelm, check out:

58 out of 192
In Washington
4,598 out of 6,489
In America

Yelm Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

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

  • The Services index in Yelm is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Yelm is 110.

  • The Health index in Yelm is 123.

  • The Housing index in Yelm is 147.

  • The Transportation index in Yelm is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Yelm is 98.

Living Expense Yelm Washington National Average
Overall 123 118 100
Services 114 111 100
Groceries 110 112 100
Health 123 122 100
Housing 147 135 100
Transportation 126 124 100
Utilities 98 91 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Yelm Cost of Living Vs. WA

Yelm, 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 Yelm is $482,695.

  • The Median Rent in Yelm is $1,363.

  • The Median Income in Yelm is $88,279.

  • The Home Value To Income in Yelm is 5.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Yelm is 0.19x.

Statistic Yelm Washington United States
Median Home Value $482,695 $595,737 $303,400
Median Rent $1,363 $1,682 $1,348
Median Income $88,279 $94,952 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.5x 6.3x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.21x 0.21x
$482,695
Median Home Value
$1,363
Median Rent
$88,279
Median Income

Yelm, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Yelm Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Yelm 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 Yelm Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Yelm 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 Yelm Health Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Yelm Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

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

Detailed Yelm Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

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

Yelm SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
8
Safety
5
Amenities
8
Education
8
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Yelm

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Yelm. 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 Yelm.

  • Lacey, WA has a cost of living index of 126, 1.0x Yelm.

  • Olympia, WA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.0x Yelm.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Yelm
Lakewood, WA 63,034 127 1.0x
Lacey, WA 57,088 126 1.0x
Olympia, WA 55,583 128 1.0x
Parkland, WA 39,174 122 1.0x
Graham, WA 35,090 132 1.1x
Frederickson, WA 24,219 131 1.1x
Fort Lewis, WA 13,983 137 1.1x
Elk Plain, WA 13,863 127 1.0x
DuPont, WA 9,952 137 1.1x
Summit View, WA 9,014 129 1.0x

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