| Index | Spanaway | Washington | National |
| Cost of living | 120 | 119 | 100 |
| Groceries | 103 | 107 | 100 |
| Health care | 110 | 109 | 100 |
| Housing | 150 | 138 | 100 |
| Transportation | 108 | 112 | 100 |
| Utilities | 107 | 110 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 111 | 112 | 100 |
| Household Items | 106 | 107 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 110 | 117 | 100 |

The cost of living in Spanaway affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Spanaway is 120, which is 20% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Spanaway is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Spanaway falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Spanaway cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 49.6% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
Is Spanaway an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Spanaway, the median home price is 51.6% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 45% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Spanaway come in at $115,702, which is 42.3% higher than the national average.
Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Spanaway, healthcare costs are 9.5% higher than the national average.
Transportation: When public transportation options are limited or non-existent, residents frequently resort to vehicle ownership, which can significantly contribute to the overall cost of living. Monthly financial obligations encompass fuel, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or financing expenses. In Spanaway, the transportation index is 8.3% higher than the national average.
Housing: When everyone's vying for homes in popular areas, it drives up property prices and rents, making the overall cost of living surge. On the flip side, in less sought-after locales, where housing demand is low, prices tend to dip, resulting in a more economical cost of living. In Spanaway, the housing index comes in at 49.6% higher than the national average.
The cost of living data for Spanaway shown above is based on a U.S. average baseline score of 100, making it easier to compare how far your dollar may go from one city to another. Housing uses U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all remaining values are AI-assisted estimates informed by regional pricing, climate, transportation dynamics, and local economic factors. These scores are best used for directional comparisons between cities.
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| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $121,298 | $10,108 | $2,830 | $3,639 |
| Renters | $75,764 | $6,314 | $1,768 | $2,273 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Washington | 6.5% | 10.4% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Washington | 0% | 0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Ketron Island, WA | 0 | 110 | 10.2% |
| North Yelm, WA | 3,847 | 106 | 6.3% |
| North Puyallup, WA | 2,029 | 111 | 11.1% |
| Nisqually Indian Community, WA | 603 | 112 | 12.1% |
| Midland, WA | 9,862 | 116 | 15.7% |
| Spanaway, WA | 34,750 | 120 | 20.1% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Seaside, CA | 34,761 | 158 | 58.4% |
| Valparaiso, IN | 34,723 | 98 | 2.0% |
| Woodridge, IL | 34,713 | 114 | 14.4% |
| Pullman, WA | 34,799 | 118 | 17.5% |
| Deer Park, TX | 34,681 | 102 | 1.7% |
| Spanaway, WA | 34,750 | 120 | 20.1% |