Ideal CityOpen the map

Kent vs South Hill

Kent, Washington versus South Hill, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

Kent

Mixed · objective livability49/100

South Hill

Solid · objective livability51/100

Kent and South Hill score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorKentSouth Hill
Affordability
Median Household Income$87k$104k
Cost of Living$56k$56k
Home Value$478k$442k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$2k$2k
Property Tax Rate1.00%0.99%
Income Tax0.00%0.00%
Sales Tax9.38%9.38%
Estimated total tax burden8.57%7.33%
Unemployment7.6%4.6%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)43°F42°F
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F66°F
Annual Precipitation44.7 in45.1 in
Annual Snowfall6.3 in5.6 in
Sunny Days217 days217 days
Summer Humidity53°F53°F
Comfortable Days119 days114 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk53.836.9
Air Quality41 AQI39 AQI
School Quality73.967.4
Violent Crime1819/100k1331/100k
Property Crime5543/100k4481/100k
Community
Population135,16967,835
Median Age34.734.3
Racial Diversity0.750.51
Male/Female Ratio1.051.02
Political LeaningD+12D+12
White (%)38.3%64.6%
Black (%)12.6%4.7%
Hispanic (%)16.3%12.4%
Asian (%)22.3%6.5%
Other / Multiracial (%)10.4%11.7%
Getting Around
Commute Time31 min36 min
Walkability10.6/209.3/20
Airport Distance9 mi23 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.9%95.9%
Amenities Nearby48.6167.37
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

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 Kent or South Hill more affordable?
South Hill has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Kent's $56k and South Hill's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Kent versus $2k in South Hill.
Is Kent or South Hill safer?
South Hill has the lower violent crime rate. Kent reports 1819/100k and South Hill reports 1331/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Kent or South Hill?
The median home value is $478k in Kent and $442k in South Hill, so homes are more affordable in South Hill.
See each on the map

Explore KentExplore South Hill

Full profiles