States › Washington › Centralia

Is Centralia, WA expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 35 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,7701% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$60,632about $5,053/month · 30% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$318,2004% lower than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 56% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 5.2 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $70,800 a year. That is $34 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Washington cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Washington. It is number 48 of 192 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Centralia
$1,770
Anacortes
$2,828
Monroe
$1,833
Fairwood
$2,561
Salmon Creek
$1,570
Bryn Mawr-Skyway
$2,605
Port Angeles
$1,558

How much do households earn in Centralia?

Under $25k
23.9%
$25k–50k
21.4%
$50k–100k
31.0%
$100k–150k
15.0%
$150k+
3.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 18.6% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Centralia

SizeCentraliaU.S. average
Studio$842$1,338
1 bedroom$898$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,197$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,572$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,884$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Centralia overall?

Everyday prices in Washington overall are 7% above the U.S. average (index 107.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
126
Goods (food, clothes…)
104
Utilities
93
Other services
104
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Centralia, so the Washington figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Centralia

🏛️ Property tax$2,146a year · 0.67% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$169a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Centralia

Commute to work25.6 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree19.4%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home60%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line19.6%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5.7%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Centralia?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $438 a month less.

Renting
$1,770
Owning
$2,208

Owning assumes a typical $318,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $31,820 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Centralia, WA?

Renting in Centralia costs a median of about $1,770 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Washington median is $2,025.

How much do I need to make to live in Centralia?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $70,800 a year, or $34 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Centralia cheap or expensive?

Centralia is rated Expensive: rent takes 35.0% of the typical household income of $60,632. It ranks 48th cheapest of 192 Washington cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Centralia?

The median homeowner in Centralia pays $2,146 a year in property taxes, about 0.67% of the median home value.

Is Centralia more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Washington are 7% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Centralia?

The median home value in Centralia is $318,200, about 5.2 times the typical yearly household income.

18,830 people live in Centralia. Numbers are typical (middle) values.