City comparison
Renton, WA is about 10 miles (20 km) from Seattle, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 15 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Renton, WA to Seattle, WA takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Seattle has a population of 734,603, vs 105,355 in Renton — about 7.0× larger by population. By land area, Seattle covers about 84 sq mi vs 24 sq mi for Renton.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Renton | Seattle | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,864/mo | $1,945/mo | 4.3% higher in Seattle |
| Median home value | $576,800 | $879,900 | 52.5% higher in Seattle |
| Median household income | $92,292 | $116,068 | 25.8% higher in Seattle |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 103.0 | 0.9% higher in Renton |
| Utilities index | 95.7 | 92.5 | 3.5% higher in Renton |
| Transportation index | 106.6 | 108.1 | 1.3% higher in Seattle |
| Healthcare index | 106.6 | 108.8 | 2.0% higher in Seattle |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Renton, you'd need $100,266 in Seattle to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Renton and Seattle have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Renton, you'd need about $80,213 in Seattle to keep the same standard of living.