Mercer Island, WA vs Renton, WA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricMercer Island, WARenton, WA
Population25,307105,317
Median Household Income$219,069$100,432
Median Rent$2,502/mo$1,998/mo
Median Home Value$2,000,000+$672,600
Cost of Living (US = 100)111111
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income42.7%52.7%
Poverty Rate3.8%8.1%
Unemployment Rate4.5%4.6%
Violent Crime Rate /100k68258
Property Crime Rate /100k9532,459
Median AQI4343
Good AQI Days /yr245245
Summer Highs75°F75°F
Winter Lows37°F37°F
Snowfall4 in/yr6 in/yr
Avg Commute23.6 min29.7 min
Hospitals—1
Avg Hospital Rating—2.0 / 5
Students per Teacher18.819
College Degree Rate81.4%39.5%
Foreign-Born %26.4%28.5%
Population Growth (2020–2025)-1.3%-1.8%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.
The Census tops out at $2,000,000+ for home value; it doesn't publish exact figures above that. Two capped values can't be compared, so neither is marked better.