Overall
98.5
-1.5 below avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Walla Walla, WA
Cost-of-living indicators for Walla Walla, WA, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 47460 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #102 of 387
Walla Walla, WA has a cost of living index of 98.5, meaning it's 1.5% less expensive than the national average. Goods cost 5.0% more, services 5.7% less, and rents are 13.4% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $101,503 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Walla Walla
Walla Walla ranks #102 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper half by cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 98.5, Walla Walla, WA is 1.5% less expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Walla Walla's most and least expensive categories — goods at 105.0 versus rents at 86.6 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $101,503 inside Walla Walla, while a household needs roughly $98,519 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 86.6 — 13.4% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Walla Walla's overall index has risen by 2.9 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 105.0 and services at 94.3, meaning everyday spending in Walla Walla is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Walla Walla Cost Index at a Glance
Walla Walla all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Walla Walla category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
105.0
+5.0 above avg
Services
94.3
-5.7 below avg
Rents
86.6
-13.4 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 98.5 (-1.5 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 105.0 (+5.0 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 94.3 (-5.7 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 86.6 (-13.4 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Goods +5.0% (105.0)
Below National Average
Rents -13.4% (86.6)
Services -5.7% (94.3)
Overall -1.5% (98.5)
Income Adequacy in Walla Walla
Walla Walla income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 98.5
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$98,519
in Walla Walla, WA purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$49,260
$75,000 nationally
$73,889
$125,000 nationally
$123,149
$150,000 nationally
$147,779
$200,000 nationally
$197,038
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 2.9 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 95.6 |
| 2009 | 94.9 |
| 2010 | 94.3 |
| 2011 | 94.3 |
| 2012 | 95.1 |
| 2013 | 95.3 |
| 2014 | 98.4 |
| 2015 | 99.9 |
| 2016 | 96.3 |
| 2017 | 99.5 |
| 2018 | 99.4 |
| 2019 | 100.7 |
| 2020 | 95.2 |
| 2021 | 99.1 |
| 2022 | 100.6 |
| 2023 | 97.9 |
| 2024 | 98.5 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Walla Walla, WA's index of 98.5.
Other WA Metros
Related Data for Walla Walla
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Walla Walla area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Walla Walla metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Walla Walla
School Districts
NCES school data for Walla Walla area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Walla Walla area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Walla Walla, WA? ▼
Walla Walla, WA has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 98.5, meaning it is 1.5% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 105.0, services at 94.3, and rents at 86.6. It ranks #102 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Walla Walla, WA to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $98,519 in Walla Walla, WA. Conversely, $100K earned in Walla Walla, WA has the purchasing power of $101,503 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Walla Walla, WA? ▼
Rents in Walla Walla, WA are indexed at 86.6, which is 13.4% below the national average. This makes the area relatively affordable for renters.
Is Walla Walla, WA getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Walla Walla, WA's overall cost index changed by +2.9 points (from 95.6 to 98.5). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Walla Walla, WA? ▼
The most expensive category in Walla Walla, WA is goods at 105.0, which is 5.0% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 86.6, 13.4% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Walla Walla, WA? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, Boise City, Harrisburg-Carlisle. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Walla Walla, WA's 98.5.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
