States › Washington › Shelton

Is Shelton, WA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 23 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,41219% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$75,061about $6,255/month · 14% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$345,7004% higher than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 63% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 4.6 years of household income.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $56,480 a year. That is $27 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 25 of 192 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Shelton
$1,412
Sumner
$2,331
Mount Vista
$2,111
Port Townsend
$1,866
Birch Bay
$1,296
Felida
$2,565
Maltby
$2,374

How much do households earn in Shelton?

Under $25k
17.9%
$25k–50k
18.3%
$50k–100k
39.7%
$100k–150k
14.9%
$150k+
5.9%

Share of households by yearly income. 20.7% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Shelton

SizeSheltonU.S. average
Studio$966$1,338
1 bedroom$1,115$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,525$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,734$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,225$2,098

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

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

Taxes and bills in Shelton

🏛️ Property tax$3,085a year · 0.89% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$144a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Shelton

Commute to work25.1 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree18.1%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home62%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line17.4%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment3.8%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Shelton?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $987 a month less.

Renting
$1,412
Owning
$2,399

Owning assumes a typical $345,700 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $34,570 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Shelton, WA?

Renting in Shelton costs a median of about $1,412 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Washington median is $2,025.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $56,480 a year, or $27 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Shelton cheap or expensive?

Shelton is rated OK: rent takes 22.6% of the typical household income of $75,061. It ranks 25th cheapest of 192 Washington cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Shelton?

The median homeowner in Shelton pays $3,085 a year in property taxes, about 0.89% of the median home value.

Is Shelton 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 Shelton?

The median home value in Shelton is $345,700, about 4.6 times the typical yearly household income.

10,612 people live in Shelton. Numbers are typical (middle) values.