Salaries in Kent, WA

You might think Kent, with its 133,000 people and a median household income of nearly $86,000, is just another affluent Seattle suburb. That’s not the full picture. The city’s real financial story is about who gets squeezed and who actually thrives here.

Let’s talk purchasing power. Kent’s cost of living sits at 113, meaning everything from groceries to that $1,864 one-bedroom rent costs 13% more than the national average. That $85,982 median income doesn’t stretch as far as you’d hope. The average salary across all jobs here is $55,659, but after adjusting for costs, your real take-home feels more like you’re earning $49,256. It’s a city that feels middle-class on paper but can be a grind if you’re not in the right role.

So who’s doing well? If you’re in tech, you’re golden. A software developer here pulls in a solid $132,223, which adjusts to a still-strong $117,012 in real terms. That’s no surprise given Kent’s position as a logistics and tech-hub neighbor to Seattle, with major employers like Boeing and Amazon’s massive fulfillment centers anchoring the local economy. But you don’t have to code to make a decent living—accountants, teachers, and skilled trades like electricians all land in the city’s top-paying jobs.

Here’s my honest take: the wage growth here hasn’t always kept pace with the exploding rent. That 4.2% unemployment rate is healthy, but it masks a stark divide. The city works beautifully for a software developer or a two-income professional household. For everyone else, especially those with just a high school diploma (only 33% of residents have a bachelor’s), it’s a much tougher financial equation.

The data below will break down exactly what you can expect to earn in Kent’s top roles, both on paper and in real, cost-adjusted terms.