What are the schools like in Kent, WA?

Kent is served primarily by Kent School District. The district operates 29 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, and 8 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 18.0:1.

What is the median household income in Kent?

The median household income in Kent, WA is $86,966 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 7.6%.

What is the weather like in Kent, WA?

Kent has an average high temperature of 48.4°F in January and 78.3°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 44.7 inches and annual snowfall averages 6.3 inches.

Kent, WA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Kent, WA affordable or expensive?

Kent's cost of living index is 113, where 100 represents the national average. This means Kent is 13% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $478,400 and the median rent is $1,742 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Kent, WA?

Kent has a violent crime rate of 489.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3771.0 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Kent, WA a Good Place to Live?

Kent is a mid-sized city of 135,169 in Washington, with a median household income of $86,966 and a 7.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: Kent's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Kent is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Kent city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 113.0

Kent's overall cost of living index is 113.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Kent costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.

Metric	Kent, WA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$478,400	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,742	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	55.8%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$86,966	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Kent's violent crime rate is 489.7 per 100,000 residents — 29% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

489.7 /100k

Property Crime

3771.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Kent is served primarily by Kent School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Kent, WA	National Avg
School District	Kent School District	—
Elementary Schools	29	—
Middle Schools	7	—
High Schools	8	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	18.0:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	27.9%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	87.1%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Kent sees average highs of 48.4°F in January and 78.3°F in July, with 44.7 inches of annual precipitation and 6.3 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Kent, WA
Average High — January	48.4°F
Average High — July	78.3°F
Annual Precipitation	44.7"
Annual Snowfall	6.3"

Demographics

Metric	Kent, WA	National Avg
Population	135,169	—
Median Age	34.7	38.9
Unemployment Rate	7.6%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	30.5 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	40.8%	59.3%
Black or African American	12.9%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	13.4%	18.9%
Asian	22.4%	6.3%
Under 18	24.6%	22.2%
65 and over	10.8%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lakeland North, WA 5 mi Des Moines, WA 5 mi Fairwood CDP (King County), WA 5 mi Covington, WA 5 mi SeaTac, WA 6 mi

ZIP Codes in Kent

Kent, WA is covered by 3 ZIP codes:

98032 98031 98030

Kent vs Other Cities

Kent, WA vs Lakeland North, WA Kent, WA vs Des Moines, WA Kent, WA vs Fairwood CDP (King County), WA Kent, WA vs Covington, WA Kent, WA vs SeaTac, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kent, WA affordable or expensive?

Kent's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts Kent roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $478,400 and median rent is $1,742/month.

What is the crime rate in Kent, WA?

Kent's violent crime rate is 489.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3771.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Kent?

Public schools in Kent are operated by Kent School District. The district has 29 elementary, 7 middle, and 8 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.0:1. 27.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Kent, WA a good place to live?

Kent, WA has a population of 135,169, a median household income of $86,966, and an unemployment rate of 7.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Kent?

Kent averages 48.4°F in January and 78.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 44.7 inches with about 6.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Kent?

Kent, WA is covered by 3 ZIP codes: 98032, 98031, 98030.

What is the population of Kent?

The population of Kent, Washington is 135,169 with a median age of 34.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Kent?

Key numbers for living in Kent: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $478,400, median household income $86,966, crime index 149 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Kent side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.