Yakima, WA vs Kenosha, WI: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
Overall, Kenosha, WI is 5.8% more expensive than Yakima, WA (BEA, 2024).
To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Yakima works out to about $79,400 in Kenosha, before taxes.
Most of the difference is housing, which costs 31.9% more in Kenosha. Goods are 1.1% higher and other services 0.9% higher.
Zillow does not publish typical rent for Kenosha, so rents are not compared here.
The gap is about where it was in 2019 (5.3%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's
spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 31.9% higher in Kenosha than in Yakima
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
708090100110
All items
Yakima, WA: 95.5 Kenosha, WI: 101.1
Goods
Yakima, WA: 105.0 Kenosha, WI: 106.2
Housing (rents)
Yakima, WA: 72.6 Kenosha, WI: 95.8
Utilities
Yakima, WA: 91.9 Kenosha, WI: 85.9
Other services
Yakima, WA: 99.5 Kenosha, WI: 100.3
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
All items
95.5
101.1
Goods
105.0
106.2
Housing (rents)
72.6
95.8
Utilities
91.9
85.9
Other services
99.5
100.3
Category
Yakima
Kenosha
Kenosha vs Yakima
All items
95.5
101.1
+5.8%
Goods
105.0
106.2
+1.1%
Housing (rents)
72.6
95.8
+31.9%
Utilities
91.9
85.9
−6.6%
Other services
99.5
100.3
+0.9%
Salary to match $75,000 in Yakima
$75,000
$79,400
+5.8%
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Yakima and Kenosha has narrowed since 2008: 10.7 points then, 5.6 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
9095100105
US average = 100
20082012201620202024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
2008
93.0
103.7
2009
96.4
102.9
2010
95.6
100.1
2011
98.1
103.1
2012
97.1
99.3
2013
97.0
100.1
2014
96.8
101.3
2015
94.5
101.0
2016
94.4
100.2
2017
94.9
102.5
2018
97.2
100.9
2019
96.8
101.9
2020
96.2
99.4
2021
97.7
101.5
2022
100.8
102.5
2023
97.9
100.5
2024
95.5
101.1
Goods
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
2008
95.4
103.6
2009
101.4
105.1
2010
97.8
104.4
2011
99.2
104.9
2012
99.7
102.7
2013
97.7
101.6
2014
96.0
101.5
2015
94.9
99.4
2016
93.9
99.6
2017
99.5
102.6
2018
104.8
103.8
2019
104.7
104.7
2020
104.5
103.3
2021
106.6
105.6
2022
109.4
106.1
2023
104.9
103.7
2024
105.0
106.2
Housing (rents)
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
2008
79.0
109.1
2009
80.5
98.2
2010
82.9
84.2
2011
85.4
96.0
2012
80.9
80.6
2013
87.1
90.3
2014
86.0
101.0
2015
77.1
101.5
2016
79.6
87.9
2017
75.6
94.3
2018
76.2
88.0
2019
76.3
103.5
2020
75.4
83.1
2021
84.3
86.8
2022
83.9
92.3
2023
80.0
91.7
2024
72.6
95.8
Utilities
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
2008
73.0
102.6
2009
74.8
102.6
2010
81.7
97.5
2011
83.1
100.2
2012
85.4
97.0
2013
82.8
93.6
2014
82.6
100.8
2015
86.2
103.3
2016
83.2
102.1
2017
79.6
101.0
2018
85.4
98.8
2019
88.3
88.1
2020
87.8
90.7
2021
89.7
88.1
2022
83.8
85.4
2023
81.3
83.1
2024
91.9
85.9
Other services
Yakima, WA
Kenosha, WI
708090100110
US = 100
200820162024
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).