Olympia, WA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Olympia, WA Summary

Cost of living in Olympia research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Olympia is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Olympia is 115, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Olympia is 1.1x higher than the national average.

  • Olympia ranks as the #64 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Olympia ranks as the #4,492 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Olympia is $355,100.

  • The median income in Olympia is $67,975.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
115
Olympia's Overall Cost Of Living
1.1x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Olympia, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Olympia has an overall cost of living index of 115, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Olympia has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Washington's index of 115.

The standard of living in Olympia ranks as #64 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Olympia ranks as the #128 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Olympia, check out:

64 out of 192
In Washington
4,492 out of 6,412
In America

Olympia Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Olympia. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Olympia is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Olympia is 119.

  • The Health index in Olympia is 124.

  • The Housing index in Olympia is 126.

  • The Transportation index in Olympia is 132.

  • The Utilities index in Olympia is 93.

Living Expense Olympia Washington National Average
Overall 115 115 100
Services 109 112 100
Groceries 119 109 100
Health 124 119 100
Housing 126 129 100
Transportation 132 116 100
Utilities 93 90 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Olympia Cost of Living Vs. WA

Olympia, WA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Olympia is $355,100.

  • The Median Rent in Olympia is $1,290.

  • The Median Income in Olympia is $67,975.

  • The Home Value To Income in Olympia is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Olympia is 0.23x.

Statistic Olympia Washington United States
Median Home Value $355,100 $397,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,290 $1,439 $1,163
Median Income $67,975 $82,400 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.2x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Olympia, WA
$355,100
Median Home Value
$1,290
Median Rent
$67,975
Median Income

Olympia, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Olympia Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Olympia Washington
Shampoo $1.28 $1.06
Movie $10.77 $10.68
Bowling $14.67 $14.67
Haircut $23.8 $18.62
Beauty Salon $36.61 $39.05

Detailed Olympia Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Olympia Washington
Ground Beef $5.43 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.59 $1.39
Milk $2.35 $2.05
Potatoes $3.17 $3.29
Pizza $12.99 $10.62
Beer $10.22 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.79 $2.34

Detailed Olympia Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Olympia Washington
Optometrist $196.22 $108.57
Doctor $133.79 $116.17
Dentist $131.09 $99.13

Detailed Olympia Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Olympia Washington
Gasoline $2.92 $2.22
Tire Balancing $68.92 $50.07

Detailed Olympia Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Olympia Washington
All Electricity $135.4 $167.67
Phone $198.87 $175.64

Olympia SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
4
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Olympia

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Olympia. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Lakewood, WA has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Olympia.

  • Lacey, WA has a cost of living index of 116, 1.0x Olympia.

  • Tumwater, WA has a cost of living index of 114, 1.0x Olympia.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Olympia
Lakewood, WA 62,972 115 1.0x
Lacey, WA 52,572 116 1.0x
Tumwater, WA 24,855 114 1.0x
Fort Lewis, WA 12,773 127 1.1x
Shelton, WA 10,288 104 0.9x
Yelm, WA 10,205 113 1.0x
DuPont, WA 9,974 133 1.2x
Tanglewilde, WA 7,068 109 0.9x
Steilacoom, WA 6,673 122 1.1x

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