Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
Vancouver, WA
🏆 Kirkland leads 13 of 22 categories
Kirkland
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015
Vancouver
Washington
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$73,626
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High
Population
190,700 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
Households earn $61,982 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than Vancouver
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.7%)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Vancouver
Vancouver, WA
Pros
Homes cost $534k less ($403,400 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $725/mo less ($1,525 vs $2,250)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $61,982/yr
Violent crime (582.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3407.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Kirkland
Median Income
$61,982
$135,608 vs $73,626/yr
Kirkland
Violent Crime
90% lower
60.6 vs 582.3 per 100k
Kirkland
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.7% vs 5.6% unemployment
Vancouver
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 106.6 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Vancouver
Median Home Value
$534k less
$403,400 vs $937,700
Vancouver
Summer Heat
4.4°F warmer
July avg high 80.9°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | Vancouver, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 106.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $403,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $1,525⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $73,626 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min | 23.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 157⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 162⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B (97) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 17.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 91.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Evergreen School District (Clark) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 47.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 80.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" ✓ Drier | 44.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 4.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 | 190,700 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% ✓ Higher | 50.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% | 16.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Vancouver's 106.6 (US average = 100).
Vancouver is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Kirkland leads 13 of 22 categories. Kirkland wins 13 and Vancouver wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Kirkland to Vancouver or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $403,400 median home), income ($135,608 vs $73,626), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and Vancouver, WA are about 144 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.