Auburn vs Puyallup
Auburn, Washington versus Puyallup, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Auburn and Puyallup score about the same overall (50 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Auburn | Puyallup |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $87k | $91k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $56k |
| Home Value | $460k | $467k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.05% | 0.98% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.62% | 8.17% |
| Unemployment | 4.7% | 6.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.9 in | 45.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.3 in | 5.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 119 days | 114 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 77.6 | 92.6 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 67.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1602/100k | 1402/100k |
| Property Crime | 5151/100k | 7278/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 85,623 | 42,610 |
| Median Age | 35.8 | 36.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.65 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+12 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 50.1% | 74.6% |
| Black (%) | 7.3% | 3.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.0% | 7.9% |
| Asian (%) | 10.9% | 5.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 12.6% | 8.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 32 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 13.7/20 | 11.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.4% | 89.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 59.33 | 105.61 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Auburn or Puyallup more affordable?
- Puyallup has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Auburn's $56k and Puyallup's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Auburn versus $2k in Puyallup.
- Is Auburn or Puyallup safer?
- Puyallup has the lower violent crime rate. Auburn reports 1602/100k and Puyallup reports 1402/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Auburn or Puyallup?
- The median home value is $460k in Auburn and $467k in Puyallup, so homes are more affordable in Auburn.