City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Kennewick, WA (100.1) and Reno, NV (101.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Kennewick, WA goes as far as $100,900 in Reno, NV.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in WA and $0 in NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Kennewick, WA to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Kennewick, WA | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,934 in Reno | $99,074 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Reno, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
66 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Kennewick, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kennewick, WA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Kennewick, WA to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Reno, NV | Real change, Kennewick → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $62,430 | $61,852 (−38.4%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $125,710 | $124,546 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $82,370 | $81,608 (−12.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $107,520 | $106,525 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.