Orchards, WA vs Yelm, WA

Yelm is moderately more affordable than Orchards, with a 8.5% lower cost of living index. Orchards scores 124 compared to 115 for Yelm, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Orchards can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Orchards is $1,685/month compared to $1,363/month in Yelm — a 24% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Yelm has cheaper rent, Orchards actually has lower median home values ($437,100 vs $439,100).

Median household income in Orchards is $96,893 compared to $88,279 in Yelm (+9.8%). While Orchards is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Orchards spend roughly 20.9% of their income on rent, more than the 18.5% in Yelm.

Climate-wise, Orchards is notably warmer with an average of 55.1°F compared to 50.5°F in Yelm. Yelm receives more rainfall at 50.6" per year compared to 36.9" in Orchards.