Kent vs. Renton: Which City Fits Your Budget?

Kent vs. Renton Home Prices: Single-Family and Condo

I keep single-family homes and condos apart when I compare cities. Mixing them hides the real gap. Here is where the two cities stand in the latest NWMLS data.

Source: NWMLS, week of October 5, 2026 (trailing 4-week sold prices; condo samples are thin: 15 Kent sales, 11 Renton sales).

Renton costs about $71,000 more for a typical single-family home, or roughly 10%. The 12-month medians tell the same story: $691,500 in Kent and $781,950 in Renton. On condos, the two cities are nearly tied. Both condo samples are small, so use those numbers as a rough guide only.

What the Price Gap Means for Your Monthly Payment

I ran a quick payment check using Freddie Mac’s 7.28% rate for the week of October 1, with 20% down. On principal and interest alone, the Kent median single-family home comes to about $3,717 a month. Renton comes to about $4,105. That is roughly $389 a month apart, before taxes and insurance.

For condos the order flips, but only slightly. A Kent condo at the median is about $2,053 a month and a Renton condo is about $1,971. With samples this small, I would not pick a city on that difference.

Which Market Has More Competition?

Kent is the only one of the seven cities I track where single-family pending sales are up from a year ago. They rose 11%. Homes for sale in Kent are up 17% from last year, so buyers have more choice, but they are not alone.

Renton looks different. Homes for sale are up 73% from last year, and pending sales are down 13%. That is a lot more choice for buyers. Renton’s 12-month median is also down 4.3%, while Kent’s is down 1.0%.

Here is the part that surprised me. In Kent, 43% of single-family sales included seller concessions. About 21% still sold over list price. Both things are true at once. Some homes get competition and some need help to sell. Pricing and condition make the difference.

Lifestyle and Location: Kent vs. Renton

Kent runs through the Green River Valley. It has a Sounder train station, Kent Station shopping, and the Green River Trail. Renton sits at the south end of Lake Washington, right where I-405 and SR-167 meet. It has The Landing and Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park.

School district lines do not follow city lines in either city. Always check the address. My post on Kent school boundaries shows how that works, and my Living in Kent and Living in Renton guides cover neighborhoods in each city.

Who Should Choose Kent, and Who Should Choose Renton

Pick Kent if your single-family budget is under about $700,000 and you are ready to compete for good homes. My first-time buyer guide for Kent covers the process.

Pick Renton if you can stretch about $70,000 higher and want more homes to choose from. Buyers have more room to negotiate there right now. If you are already a homeowner looking to trade up, read my Renton move-up guide. For the wider picture, see my East and South King County market update.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Kent cheaper than Renton?

Yes, for single-family homes. The latest median is $679,000 in Kent and $750,000 in Renton. Condos are close, at $375,000 and $360,000, though both samples are small.

Which city has more homes for sale, Kent or Renton?

Renton had 306 active single-family listings and Kent had 255 in the latest NWMLS data. Renton’s inventory is also up 73% from last year, compared with 17% in Kent.

Is it a buyer's market in Kent or Renton?

Renton leans more toward buyers right now because inventory is up sharply and pending sales are down. Kent is more competitive, with pending sales up 11% from last year.

Which is better for first-time buyers, Kent or Renton?

Kent is easier on a tighter budget. Renton gives you more choice if you can pay about $70,000 more. Talk to a lender first so you know your real number.

Market data from NWMLS, week of October 5, 2026 (trailing 4-week sold figures; 12-month medians from NWMLS monthly data through September 2026). Payments use Freddie Mac PMMS 7.28% (week of Oct. 1, 2026). Gregory Dorrell is a licensed real estate broker (WA License #111862) with Coldwell Banker Danforth. This post is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute financial or investment advice.