Mercer Island vs Renton
Mercer Island, 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.
Mercer Island edges out Renton on overall objective livability (58 vs 50 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Mercer Island | Renton |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $191k | $92k |
| Cost of Living | $73k | $73k |
| Home Value | $1.7M | $577k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.91% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.33% | 8.79% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 4.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.4 in | 44.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8 in | 6.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 119 days | 119 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 68.4 | 85.0 |
| Air Quality | 37 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 80.7 | 96.0 |
| Violent Crime | 243/100k | 934/100k |
| Property Crime | 1692/100k | 4706/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,464 | 105,355 |
| Median Age | 45.3 | 36.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.70 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+54 |
| White (%) | 65.3% | 40.8% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 8.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.2% | 14.8% |
| Asian (%) | 22.0% | 26.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.1% | 10.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 31 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 14.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.7% | 93.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 472.82 | 71.57 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Mercer Island or Renton more affordable?
- Renton has the lower cost of living: its index is $73k, compared with Mercer Island's $73k and Renton's $73k. Median rent is $2k in Mercer Island versus $2k in Renton.
- Is Mercer Island or Renton safer?
- Mercer Island has the lower violent crime rate. Mercer Island reports 243/100k and Renton reports 934/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Mercer Island or Renton?
- The median home value is $1.7M in Mercer Island and $577k in Renton, so homes are more affordable in Renton.