States › Washington › Chehalis

Is Chehalis, WA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 21 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,36122% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$79,488about $6,624/month · 9% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$372,90012% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 65% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.7 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $54,440 a year. That is $26 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 18 of 192 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Chehalis
$1,361
Waller
$1,895
Clover Creek
$1,923
Ocean Shores
$1,361
Clarkston Heights-Vineland
$1,193
North Bend
$2,217
Quincy
$1,231

How much do households earn in Chehalis?

Under $25k
14.4%
$25k–50k
22.0%
$50k–100k
47.6%
$100k–150k
8.4%
$150k+
6.6%

Share of households by yearly income. 14.9% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Chehalis

SizeChehalisU.S. average
Studio$988$1,338
1 bedroom$846$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,318$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,760$1,698

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

How expensive is Chehalis 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 Chehalis, so the Washington figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Chehalis

🏛️ Property tax$2,605a year · 0.70% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$127a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Chehalis

Commute to work22.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree27.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home52.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line15%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Chehalis?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $1,226 a month less.

Renting
$1,361
Owning
$2,587

Owning assumes a typical $372,900 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $37,290 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Chehalis, WA?

Renting in Chehalis costs a median of about $1,361 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Washington median is $2,025.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $54,440 a year, or $26 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Chehalis cheap or expensive?

Chehalis is rated OK: rent takes 20.5% of the typical household income of $79,488. It ranks 18th cheapest of 192 Washington cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Chehalis?

The median homeowner in Chehalis pays $2,605 a year in property taxes, about 0.70% of the median home value.

Is Chehalis 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 Chehalis?

The median home value in Chehalis is $372,900, about 4.7 times the typical yearly household income.

7,587 people live in Chehalis. Numbers are typical (middle) values.