Cost of Living in Olympia, Washington
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Olympia, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 56,724
- Median household income
- $81,302
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 103.7
- Unemployment rate
- 7.3%
Is Olympia a good place to live?
Olympia is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 170 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Olympia keeps $13,505 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living4% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,616 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- TaxesNo state income tax on wages
Cost of living in Olympia
Prices in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area run 4% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 17% above the US average.
- Housing17% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)5% above the US average
- Utilities8% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% below the US average
- All items4% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,616 | $19,392 |
| Food | $518 | $6,216 |
| Transportation | $410 | $4,920 |
| Healthcare | $350 | $4,200 |
| Utilities | $239 | $2,868 |
| Total before taxes | $3,133 | $37,596 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Olympia | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,546 | $1,586 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,616 | $1,656 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,899 | $1,946 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,487 | $2,541 |
| 4 bedrooms | $3,082 | $3,141 |
Living in Olympia
How Olympia compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
| Measure | Olympia | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,302 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $486,200 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,599 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 50.2% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 7.3% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 14% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 51.8% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 40.5 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 20 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 25.6% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 1.9% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Olympia, led by Xfinity, CenturyLink, T-Mobile, AT&T. Fiber reaches 4.8% of homes and 56.8% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Olympia
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 20 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $13,505 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 170 of 178 large cities.
- No state income tax. Washington doesn't tax wages, so more of each paycheck stays with you.
- Remote-work friendly. 25.6% of workers work from home, against 13.3% nationally.
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 7.3%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2020–2024 5-year).
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 4% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
What your job keeps in Olympia
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $61,960
- Federal income tax
- −$5,255
- Payroll taxes
- −$5,599
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$19,392
- Everyday costs
- −$18,209
a year, or $1,125 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | $125,020 | $57,382 |
| Software engineer | $124,060 | $56,740 |
| Civil engineer | $108,240 | $45,874 |
| Teacher | $104,741 | $43,461 |
| Project manager | $103,000 | $42,261 |
| Accountant | $94,470 | $36,379 |
| Social worker | $74,924 | $22,899 |
| Financial analyst | $69,380 | $19,075 |
| Truck driver | $63,040 | $14,357 |
| Nursing assistant | $48,060 | $2,529 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Olympia on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $5,056
- Carpenter $14,531
- Data scientist $54,012
- Dental assistant $3,184
- Dental hygienist $55,996
- Dentist $56,338
- Diesel mechanic $25,682
- Electrician $37,847
- Firefighter $33,330
- HVAC technician $23,820
- Lawyer $62,659
- Licensed practical nurse $27,330
- Lineman $64,366
- Mechanical engineer $44,564
- Medical assistant $8,561
- Nurse practitioner $71,397
- Occupational therapist $43,957
- Paralegal $20,289
- Paramedic $54,164
- Pharmacist $77,364
- Pharmacy technician $9,659
- Physical therapist $43,468
- Physician assistant $76,747
- Plumber $26,420
- Police officer $40,061
- Radiologic technologist $36,943
- Respiratory therapist $40,971
- Speech-language pathologist $41,157
- Veterinarian $80,056
- Welder $10,914
Compare Olympia with other cities
Compare Olympia with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Olympia
6 licensed interstate movers are based in Olympia, and 1 more elsewhere in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Olympia, WA a good place to live?
Olympia is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 170 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $61,960 and keeps $13,505 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Olympia?
Prices in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area are 4% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,616 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,517 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Olympia?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $44,900 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA area earns $61,960.
What is the average rent in Olympia?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,546 for a studio, $1,616 for a 1-bedroom and $1,899 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Olympia at $1,599 a month (2024).
Does Olympia have a state or city income tax?
Washington has no state income tax on wages. Olympia has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Olympia?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Olympia, led by Xfinity, CenturyLink, T-Mobile, AT&T. 4.8% of homes can get fiber and 56.8% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate