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Kirkland vs Renton

Kirkland, Washington versus Renton, 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

Kirkland

Solid · objective livability55/100

Renton

Solid · objective livability50/100

Kirkland edges out Renton on overall objective livability (55 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorKirklandRenton
Affordability
Median Household Income$136k$92k
Cost of Living$73k$73k
Home Value$938k$577k
Monthly Rent$2k$2k
Monthly Owner Costs$3k$3k
Property Tax Rate0.73%0.91%
Income Tax0.00%0.00%
Sales Tax9.38%9.38%
Estimated total tax burden8.17%8.79%
Unemployment4.7%4.2%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F43°F
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F67°F
Annual Precipitation37.8 in44.0 in
Annual Snowfall3.8 in6.3 in
Sunny Days217 days217 days
Summer Humidity53°F53°F
Comfortable Days115 days119 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk62.985.0
Air Quality34 AQI40 AQI
School Quality74.896.0
Violent Crime530/100k934/100k
Property Crime2374/100k4706/100k
Community
Population92,015105,355
Median Age38.036.1
Racial Diversity0.480.70
Male/Female Ratio1.021.01
Political LeaningD+54D+54
White (%)66.7%40.8%
Black (%)1.5%8.2%
Hispanic (%)7.5%14.8%
Asian (%)17.1%26.1%
Other / Multiracial (%)7.1%10.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time25 min31 min
Walkability12.8/2014.3/20
Airport Distance17 mi6 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.4%93.7%
Amenities Nearby97.2771.57
Park & Nature AccessLimitedModerate

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 Kirkland or Renton more affordable?
Renton has the lower cost of living: its index is $73k, compared with Kirkland's $73k and Renton's $73k. Median rent is $2k in Kirkland versus $2k in Renton.
Is Kirkland or Renton safer?
Kirkland has the lower violent crime rate. Kirkland reports 530/100k and Renton reports 934/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in Kirkland or Renton?
The median home value is $938k in Kirkland and $577k in Renton, so homes are more affordable in Renton.
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