Maple Valley, WA vs Mill Creek, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Mill Creek, WA has a modeled overall cost index 46.9% higher than Maple Valley, WA.

Maple Valley, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,850 / month
Mill Creek, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,690 / 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 Mill Creek, 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: $3,016/month in Mill Creek, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $186,197 in Mill Creek, WA

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

Overall Cost

↑ 46.9%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$3,016

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$36.2K

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

Mill Creek, WA

Population:21K

Cost Index:

158.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$975K

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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!

Mill Creek, WA

The Evergreen State

21K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 21K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Maple Valley, WA vs Mill Creek, 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	Mill Creek, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,541/mo	$5,429/mo	↑ $2,887more	113.6%
Other	$1,361/mo	$1,581/mo	↑ $220more	16.2%
Transportation	$1,575/mo	$1,520/mo	↓ $55.25less	3.5%
Groceries	$916/mo	$899/mo	↓ $16.21less	1.8%
Healthcare	$699/mo	$687/mo	↓ $12.37less	1.8%
All Utilities	$408/mo	$401/mo	↓ $7.22less	1.8%

Housing

↑ 113.6%

Maple Valley, WA

$2,541

Mill Creek, WA

$5,429

Difference

$2,887

Other

↑ 16.2%

Maple Valley, WA

$1,361

Mill Creek, WA

$1,581

Difference

$220

Transportation

↓ 3.5%

Maple Valley, WA

$1,575

Mill Creek, WA

$1,520

Difference

$55.25

less

Groceries

↓ 1.8%

Maple Valley, WA

$916

Mill Creek, WA

$899

Difference

$16.21

less

Healthcare

↓ 1.8%

Maple Valley, WA

$699

Mill Creek, WA

$687

Difference

$12.37

less

All Utilities

↓ 1.8%

Maple Valley, WA

$408

Mill Creek, WA

$401

Difference

$7.22

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,360

To$2,230

↓ $130

1 Bed

From$2,450

To$2,310

↓ $140

2 Bed

From$2,850

To$2,690

↓ $160

3 Bed

From$3,730

To$3,520

↓ $210

Maple Valley, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,450–$2,450/mo

Mill Creek, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,310–$2,310/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

$10,516

Monthly in Mill Creek, WA

$3,016

Difference

Home Values

Maple Valley

Mill Creek

$777K

Median Value

$975K

↓ -2.2%

YoY Change

↓ -2.1%

↑ +37%

5-Year Change

↑ +49.6%

Homes in Mill Creek are 25% more expensive than Maple Valley

Calculate payment - Maple Valley Calculate payment - Mill Creek

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

Mill Creek, 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%

Mill Creek, 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

Mill Creek

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 Mill Creek, WA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Mill Creek, 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 Mill Creek moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Maple Valley, WA vs Mill Creek, WA

How do the cost estimates for Maple Valley, WA and Mill Creek, WA compare?

Mill Creek, WA has a modeled overall cost index 46.9% 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 $186,197 in Mill Creek, 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 Mill Creek, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,850/month in Maple Valley, WA and $2,690/month in Mill Creek, 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.