City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 1.5% higher than in Kennewick, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Kennewick, WA would need about $101,500 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR and $1,268 in Kennewick, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Kennewick, WA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Eugene, OR to Kennewick, WA changes real buying power by +1.5%, purely from prices.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,534 in Kennewick | $101,488 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Kennewick, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
73 Strong offer
Kennewick, WA → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Eugene → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $100,380 | $101,873 (+58.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $127,800 | $129,701 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $93,280 | $94,668 (+18.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $106,410 | $107,993 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.