Maple Valley, WA vs Lake Stevens, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lake Stevens, WA has a modeled overall cost index 47.0% higher than Maple Valley, WA.

Maple Valley, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,850 / month
Lake Stevens, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,640 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Maple Valley, WA and Lake Stevens, WA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Maple Valley, WA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $3,028/month in Lake Stevens, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $186,335 in Lake Stevens, WA

Regional cost estimates: Maple Valley, WA uses Tacoma, WA. Lake Stevens, WA uses Seattle, WA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 47.0%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$3,028

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$36.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Maple Valley, WA

Population:28K

Cost Index:

108.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$777K

Lake Stevens, WA

Population:41K

Cost Index:

158.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$698K

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Maple Valley, WA

The Evergreen State

28K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 28K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Lake Stevens, WA

The Evergreen State

41K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 41K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Maple Valley, WA vs Lake Stevens, WA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Maple Valley, WA	Lake Stevens, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,541/mo	$5,435/mo	↑ $2,894more	113.9%
Other	$1,361/mo	$1,583/mo	↑ $222more	16.3%
Transportation	$1,575/mo	$1,522/mo	↓ $53.42less	3.4%
Groceries	$916/mo	$900/mo	↓ $15.66less	1.7%
Healthcare	$699/mo	$687/mo	↓ $11.96less	1.7%
All Utilities	$408/mo	$401/mo	↓ $6.98less	1.7%

Housing

↑ 113.9%

Maple Valley, WA

$2,541

Lake Stevens, WA

$5,435

Difference

$2,894

Other

↑ 16.3%

Maple Valley, WA

$1,361

Lake Stevens, WA

$1,583

Difference

$222

Transportation

↓ 3.4%

Maple Valley, WA

$1,575

Lake Stevens, WA

$1,522

Difference

$53.42

less

Groceries

↓ 1.7%

Maple Valley, WA

$916

Lake Stevens, WA

$900

Difference

$15.66

less

Healthcare

↓ 1.7%

Maple Valley, WA

$699

Lake Stevens, WA

$687

Difference

$11.96

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.7%

Maple Valley, WA

$408

Lake Stevens, WA

$401

Difference

$6.98

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,360

To$2,190

↓ $170

1 Bed

From$2,450

To$2,270

↓ $180

2 Bed

From$2,850

To$2,640

↓ $210

3 Bed

From$3,730

To$3,450

↓ $280

Maple Valley, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,450–$2,450/mo

Lake Stevens, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,270–$2,270/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Maple Valley, WA

$10,528

Monthly in Lake Stevens, WA

$3,028

Difference

Home Values

Maple Valley

Lake Stevens

$777K

Median Value

$698K

↓ -2.2%

YoY Change

↓ -1.8%

↑ +37%

5-Year Change

↑ +37.7%

Homes in Lake Stevens are 10% less expensive than Maple Valley

Calculate payment - Maple Valley Calculate payment - Lake Stevens

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Maple Valley, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Lake Stevens, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Maple Valley, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

Lake Stevens, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Maple Valley

Lake Stevens

44 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

72.4%

Good Air Days

69.7%

99 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

▲+2.4°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

1 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

Before moving from Maple Valley, WA to Lake Stevens, WA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Lake Stevens, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Maple Valley, WA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Maple Valley to Lake Stevens moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Lake Stevens, WA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Maple Valley, WA vs Lake Stevens, WA

How do the cost estimates for Maple Valley, WA and Lake Stevens, WA compare?

Lake Stevens, WA has a modeled overall cost index 47.0% higher than Maple Valley, WA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Maple Valley, WA, the model estimates $186,335 in Lake Stevens, WA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Maple Valley, WA and Lake Stevens, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,850/month in Maple Valley, WA and $2,640/month in Lake Stevens, WA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.