Anacortes, WA vs Lake Stevens, WA

Anacortes is moderately more affordable than Lake Stevens, with a 10.1% lower cost of living index. Anacortes scores 139 compared to 155 for Lake Stevens, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Lake Stevens can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Anacortes is $1,609/month compared to $2,189/month in Lake Stevens — a 27% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Anacortes has cheaper rent, Lake Stevens actually has lower median home values ($593,900 vs $647,700).

Median household income in Anacortes is $89,788 compared to $118,290 in Lake Stevens (-24.1%). While Lake Stevens is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Anacortes spend roughly 21.5% of their income on rent, less than the 22.2% in Lake Stevens.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (52.1°F vs 51.4°F). Lake Stevens receives more rainfall at 33.4" per year compared to 19.9" in Anacortes.