City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Renton, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Renton - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

105,279
Residents
$96,626
Median income
$631,400
Median home
$2,501
Median rent (state)

Renton - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Renton lands in the 76th percentile for household income and the 10th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

76th
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
92nd
percentile, median rent
10th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Renton, WA

Renton is a mid-sized U.S. city in Washington, home to 105,279 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Renton brings in $96,626 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.1%. Home values in Renton run a median of $631,400, and the median resident age is 36.5 years. About 39.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 67.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 73 residential building permits were authorized in Renton (Construction Slowdown), down 57% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Renton's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3652.6 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Washington at 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,501 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). Workers in Renton report an average commute of 24.1 minutes, with 63.0% driving alone and 20.0% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 99.7 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

105,279 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$96,626 /yr

Poverty 5.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Renton compare to other US cities?

Where Renton sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 76% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 92% pricier than other cities
Safety 10% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Washington alone, Renton ranks #128 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Renton against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Renton toward the top of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Renton ranks #1 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Renton only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#211 of 565
63rd percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 599
87th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#117 of 565
79th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#315 of 598
47th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#143 of 599
76th percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

76thIncome percentile
10thSafety percentile

76th percentile nationally for median household income · 10th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Renton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Renton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Renton's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Renton's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$631,400 10th percentile more affordable than 10% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Renton $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Renton, WA Renton, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Renton, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Renton, WA median $96,626/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Renton, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Renton, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 39.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
105,279
Median Income
$96,626
Median Home Value
$631,400
Median Age
36.5
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Labor force participation
67.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
39.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3652.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
339.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3313.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
34
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
103,000 residents104,000 residents105,000 residents106,000 residents107,000 residents108,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 106,729 residents 104,975 residents ▼ -1.6%
Renton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
73
housing units authorized
Single-Family
73
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 168
2020 263
2021 97
2022 820
2023 55
2024 73

Permit volume decreased 57% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.1 minutes
Drive Alone
63.0%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
4.0%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
20.0%
Other
1.8%

Based on 56,211 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Renton sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,501/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Spokane Valley
105,460 people
Everett
111,083 people
Federal Way
99,232 people
Yakima
96,810 people
Bellingham
92,367 people
Kirkland
91,614 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Renton's 105,279 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

San Tan Valley, AZ
105,231 people
Burbank, CA
105,165 people
Brockton, MA
105,080 people
Inglewood, CA
105,575 people
El Cajon, CA
104,909 people
Columbia, MD
105,871 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Renton's $96,626 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Schertz, TX
$96,633 median income
Rohnert Park, CA
$96,635 median income
Littleton, CO
$96,611 median income
Quasset Lake, CT
$96,641 median income
Niceville, FL
$96,611 median income
Dennisville, NJ
$96,641 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Renton, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Renton, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 44.4% 9.0% 25.8% 13.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.6% White 44.4% Black or African American 9.0% Asian 25.8% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.7% Some other race 5.4% Two or more races 13.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Renton compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Renton (this city) 105,279 $96,626
Spokane Valley 105,460 $70,722
Everett 111,083 $81,502
Federal Way 99,232 $82,144
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Renton, WA?

What is the population of Renton, WA? +

105,279 people live in Renton, WA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Renton, WA? +

Renton households earn a median of $96,626 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Renton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Renton; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Renton, WA safe? +

Renton has a total crime rate of 3652.6 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Renton, WA? +

Homes in Renton carry a median value of $631,400, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.