A full-service city on the south shore of Lake Washington where Boeing builds the 737 — 11 miles from Seattle, at the crossroads of I-405 and SR-167, with lakefront parks, a rebalancing housing market, and neighborhoods that range from entry-level condos to Kennydale lake views.
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 106,785 (9th largest in WA) | U.S. Census QuickFacts 2020 |
| Median Household Income | $100,432 | U.S. Census QuickFacts (2020–24) |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.5% | U.S. Census QuickFacts (2020–24) |
| Median Home Price | $725,000 | NWMLS InfoSparks, June 2026 |
| Median Days on Market | 15 days | NWMLS InfoSparks, June 2026 |
| Months of Supply | 4.1 (balanced) | NWMLS InfoSparks, June 2026 |
| Distance to Seattle | 11 miles (25–45 min) | Google Maps 2026 |
| Distance to Bellevue | 11 miles (20–40 min) | Google Maps 2026 |
| Distance to Sea-Tac Airport | 8–10 miles (15–25 min) | Google Maps 2026 |
| County | King County, Washington | Washington State |
| Incorporated | 1901 | City of Renton |
| City Area | 23.5 sq miles (land) | U.S. Census |
Data compiled from NWMLS, U.S. Census Bureau, Renton School District, GreatSchools, City of Renton, and National Weather Service (June–July 2026)
Renton is one of the most consequential cities in the Seattle metro that outsiders often overlook. King County's ninth-largest city at roughly 106,785 residents, it sits on the southeast shore of Lake Washington at the mouth of the Cedar River, just 11 miles southeast of downtown Seattle. Founded in 1885 on coal, clay, and timber and incorporated in 1901, Renton became an aviation town during World War II — Boeing built B-29 bombers here, and the company has assembled the 737 at its Renton plant on the lake ever since. That industrial backbone, paired with a genuinely central location, gives Renton something many suburbs lack: a large local job base of its own.
The city is big and varied. Renton spans lakefront neighborhoods like Kennydale, the established-and-growing Highlands, value-oriented Benson Hill and Talbot near Valley Medical Center, leafy Fairwood to the southeast, and a downtown core being reshaped by The Landing and Southport along the water. That range means Renton offers everything from first-condo price points to seven-figure lake-view homes — and it means the citywide averages hide big differences block to block. For buyers, choosing the right Renton neighborhood matters more than almost anywhere else in the South-of-Seattle market.
Renton's pitch is location and value: a King County address with lake access, major employers, and Sea-Tac fifteen minutes away, at prices well below Seattle, Bellevue, and Mercer Island. The catch is that Renton is a real, complex city — traffic on I-405 and SR-167 is serious, and schools and safety swing widely by neighborhood, in part because the city is split across three school districts. The single most valuable thing here is matching your commute, budget, and school priorities to the right micro-neighborhood, which is exactly where local knowledge earns its keep.
Renton's market has clearly rebalanced: prices are down year-over-year, homes are taking longer to sell, and inventory has jumped — giving buyers more selection and leverage than they've had in years.
Median Sale Price: $725,000, down 6.5% year-over-year — a genuine softening after the peak years
Months of Supply: 4.1 months, up 41.4% year-over-year — Renton has moved into balanced-market territory (4–6 months), a notable shift from the tight seller's markets to the south
Median Days on Market: 15 days, more than double a year earlier (+114%) — homes still move, but buyers have time to think
Sale-to-List Price Ratio: 100.0% — homes still sell right at asking on average, flat versus last year
Active Listings: 446 homes for sale, up 29.3% year-over-year, against 123 closed sales — meaningfully more choice for buyers
Source: NWMLS InfoSparks, Renton city, all residential, June 2026. Renton is large and varied, so neighborhood-level prices differ substantially from the citywide median.
Source: NWMLS InfoSparks, median sale price, residential, June 2026
Renton is the clearest example in our market of a rebalancing city. With supply up over 40% year-over-year to about 4.1 months and days on market more than doubling, buyers finally have room to negotiate, ask for inspections and repairs, and avoid the waived-contingency frenzy of recent years — even as homes still sell at list price on average. Price varies dramatically by neighborhood: Kennydale and lakefront properties command a premium, while Benson Hill, Talbot, and parts of the Highlands and Fairwood offer relative value. For sellers, pricing and presentation now matter far more than they did in 2021–2022. For buyers, this is a market that rewards patience and a broker watching daily inventory. We're glad to pull current, street-level comps for any Renton neighborhood you're weighing.
These charts pull the latest Renton data directly from NWMLS and refresh automatically each month, so they stay current between our quarterly page updates. Source: NWMLS InfoSparks.
The median price at which homes sold in Renton in a given month.
A count of the properties newly listed on the market in a given month.
A count of the properties on which contracts were accepted in a given month.
The median number of days between when a property is listed and when an offer is accepted.
A listing's sale price divided by its original list price, averaged across all sold listings in a month.
Most of Renton is served by Renton School District No. 403, but the city also spans the Kent and Issaquah districts depending on the address — so ratings, and the assigned school for a given home, vary widely.
Primary district: Renton School District No. 403 | Also serving parts of Renton: Kent SD & Issaquah SD | Renton SD high schools: Hazen, Lindbergh, Renton, Talley
Important: Because Renton crosses three school districts and ratings differ substantially between schools, the assigned school is one of the most important things to verify for any specific address before buying.
Source: Renton School District — rentonschools.us, Issaquah and Kent school districts, and GreatSchools (2025–26).
| School | Rating | Enrollment | District | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty High School East Renton / Fairwood |
10/10 | ~1,495 | Issaquah SD | ~96% graduation rate; among the region's top-rated |
| Hazen Senior High Renton Highlands |
8/10 | ~1,796 | Renton SD | Top 30% in WA; largest Renton SD high school |
| Lindbergh Senior High Cascade / Benson area |
6/10 | ~1,201 | Renton SD | Comprehensive programs, AP courses |
| Renton Senior High Downtown / Cedar River |
3/10 | ~1,208 | Renton SD | The district's oldest high school; CTE and athletics |
Source: GreatSchools ratings and district enrollment, 2024–25. GreatSchools scores blend test scores, academic progress, and equity measures. Liberty High School has a Renton address but is part of the Issaquah School District.
| School | Grades | Enrollment | Statewide Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vera Risdon Middle School | 6–8 | ~751 | Top ~30% of WA middle schools |
| McKnight Middle School | 6–8 | ~811 | Around the state median |
| Dimmitt Middle School | 6–8 | ~605 | Lower third; improving (up ~100 spots in two years) |
| Nelsen Middle School | 6–8 | ~913 | Lower quartile statewide |
Source: SchoolDigger statewide rankings and enrollment, Renton School District (2024–25). Renton SD also operates roughly 15 elementary schools; higher-rated options include Apollo and Maplewood Heights per GreatSchools.
Renton school quality varies widely by school and neighborhood, and the city's split across the Renton, Kent, and Issaquah districts means two homes a few blocks apart can feed very different schools. Ratings and boundaries also change over time. Prospective buyers should independently verify the current rating, test scores, and — because assignment is address-based — the specific assigned schools and boundaries for any home directly with the relevant district.
Renton is centrally located — close to Seattle, Bellevue, and the airport — but it sits on two of the region's busiest highways, so peak-hour traffic is the defining commute factor.
| Destination | Distance | Non-Peak | Peak Hours | Primary Route |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea-Tac Airport | 8–10 miles | 15–20 min | 20–30 min | SR-518 / I-405 |
| Bellevue | 11 miles | 18–25 min | 30–45 min | I-405 North |
| Downtown Seattle | 11–13 miles | 22–30 min | 35–50 min | I-5 / I-405 |
| Kent | 7 miles | 12–18 min | 18–28 min | SR-167 South |
| Tukwila (Southcenter) | 5 miles | 10–15 min | 15–25 min | I-405 |
| Tacoma | 22 miles | 28–35 min | 40–60 min | SR-167 / I-5 |
Peak hours: 6–9am and 3–7pm weekdays. Data from Google Maps and local commuter estimates, 2026
Renton Transit Center — hub for King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses to Seattle, Bellevue, and regional destinations
I-405 Stride BRT — Sound Transit bus rapid transit along I-405 is planned to serve Renton, improving north–south transit
No Link light rail — there is no light-rail station in Renton today; the nearest Link stations are in Tukwila/SeaTac
Water & trails — the Cedar River and Lake Washington Loop trails serve cyclists and walkers
Renton's central location is a double-edged sword: you're close to everything, but I-405 and SR-167 are among the most congested corridors in the state. Off-peak trips are quick; peak-hour trips to Bellevue or Seattle can double. Express toll lanes on I-405 and SR-167 can help on a schedule, and many Renton commuters value being able to reach Sea-Tac in about 20 minutes. Drive your specific commute at rush hour before committing.
Renton is expensive by national standards but a relative value within King County — cheaper than Seattle, Bellevue, and the Eastside, with Washington's no-income-tax advantage.
Renton's median household income is about $100,432 and roughly 39.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census QuickFacts), reflecting a broad mix of aerospace, healthcare, tech, and trades households. The Census reports a median owner-occupied home value of about $672,600 for the 2020–2024 period, consistent with the current market. The headline cost is housing — high relative to Pierce County to the south, but a meaningful discount to Seattle and the Eastside for a comparable King County location.
No state income tax: Washington has no personal income tax — a real advantage for the dual-income and higher-earning households common in Renton.
Housing is the main premium: King County home prices are high, though Renton sits below Seattle, Bellevue, Mercer Island, and Newcastle for a similar commute.
Property tax & sales tax: King County property taxes and a combined state/local sales tax apply; the state leans on sales and property tax in place of an income tax.
Transportation: I-405 and SR-167 express toll lanes are optional costs that can buy time on the region's most congested corridors.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (Renton city, WA); Washington State Department of Revenue. Figures are directional — verify current tax rates and any HOA costs for a specific property.
For buyers priced out of Seattle or the Eastside, Renton is one of the strongest value plays in King County — a real city with jobs, lake access, and services, at a discount to its northern neighbors. The comparison worth running is Renton against Kent and Tukwila to the south (more value, less lakefront) and against Newcastle and the Eastside to the north (higher prices, top-rated schools). We build those side-by-sides for clients so the trade-offs are clear before you tour.
Renton blends a working-city history with genuine lakefront recreation and a downtown that's been steadily reinventing itself.
For a city of its size, Renton is anchored by its waterfront and rivers. Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park on Lake Washington is one of the best city parks in the region — a stretch of swimming beaches, boat launches, waterfront trails, and picnic lawns that fills up all summer. The Cedar River runs right through the heart of the city, with the Cedar River Trail connecting downtown to the lake and, seasonally, salmon runs you can watch from the banks. Downtown Renton has been on a long upswing, with an expanding independent restaurant scene, a farmers market, and civic events, while The Landing and the lakefront Southport development have added open-air shopping, dining, and a Hyatt Regency on the water.
Renton's history runs deep and occasionally famous: it grew from coal and clay into a WWII aviation hub, and Jimi Hendrix is buried at Greenwood Memorial Park, where the memorial draws visitors from around the world. It's a diverse, unpretentious community — more everyday-Seattle-metro than resort town — with a strong civic identity built around Boeing, the lake, and its many distinct neighborhoods.
Renton's crown jewel on Lake Washington — beaches, boating, trails, and lake-and-mountain views, plus a well-loved Ivar's and Kidd Valley on the water.
Open-air shopping and dining on former Boeing land, plus a lakefront hotel-office district — the modern face of Renton's downtown-adjacent core.
A paved trail following the river through the city to the lake, popular for walking, running, and cycling, with seasonal salmon viewing.
What surprises people about Renton is how much genuine lakefront life it offers for the price — Coulon Park alone rivals amenities in cities that cost far more. The downtown restaurant and brewery scene has grown a lot, and for anything bigger, Seattle and Bellevue are a short (if traffic-dependent) drive. It's a city that rewards residents who use the water and trails, not just the highways.
Renton has the classic Puget Sound marine climate: mild, dry summers and gray, wet, but rarely snowy winters, moderated by Lake Washington and the Sound.
Summers in Renton (roughly late June through September) are the payoff — warm, dry, and comfortable, typically in the 70s to low 80s, with long daylight and clear views of Lake Washington, Mount Rainier, and the Olympics. The wet season, from October through May, brings frequent gray skies and steady, usually light rain rather than heavy downpours, with annual rainfall in the high-30s to low-40s of inches. Snow is occasional and usually light, though the hills of the Highlands and east Renton can see a bit more than the valley. The marine influence keeps temperatures moderate, with hard freezes and extreme heat both relatively uncommon.
Summer (Jun–Sep): Warm and dry, 70s–low 80s; peak season for Coulon Park and the lake.
Fall/Winter (Oct–Feb): Cool, gray, and wet; highs in the 40s–50s, light rain common, occasional light snow.
Spring (Mar–May): Gradual warming and drying — green, increasingly bright, and a good time to tour neighborhoods.
Source: National Weather Service climate normals for the Puget Sound region. Prospective residents should visit in both summer and the gray season to experience the full range.
Renton has a rare asset for a suburb: a large employment base of its own, led by Boeing, healthcare, and a surprising roster of well-known companies — plus easy access to Seattle and Bellevue jobs.
Boeing anchors the local economy. The company assembles the 737 at its Renton plant on Lake Washington and employs roughly 12,900 people there (2023) — a legacy that dates to WWII B-29 production. Healthcare is the next pillar, led by Valley Medical Center (~4,300 employees) and Kaiser Permanente (~2,550). Renton also hosts an eclectic set of major employers: PACCAR's Kenworth truck plant (~1,830), Wizards of the Coast — maker of Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons — (~1,000), Blue Origin (~830), and the Seattle Seahawks, whose headquarters and training facility sit on the Renton lakeshore.
Beyond the city limits, Renton's location puts the enormous Seattle, Bellevue, and Kent job markets within a short (if congested) commute, and Sea-Tac Airport is about 15–20 minutes away — a genuine advantage for frequent travelers and logistics-connected work.
~12,900 employees assembling the 737 on Lake Washington; the city's historic economic anchor.
Valley Medical Center (~4,300) and Kaiser Permanente (~2,550) make healthcare Renton's second pillar.
~1,830 employees at the Kenworth truck plant, part of Fortune 500 PACCAR.
~1,000 employees; the game publisher behind Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons.
~830 employees; part of the region's growing aerospace and space cluster.
The team's headquarters and Virginia Mason Athletic Center training facility sit on Renton's lakeshore.
Source: City of Renton major-employer data and company reports (2023–2026 figures). Employment conditions change — verify current openings and headcounts directly.
Renton pairs strong everyday retail and dining with genuine lake-and-river recreation, and Seattle's big-city options a short drive north.
Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park anchors swimming, boating, paddleboarding, and waterfront trails on the south lake.
The Cedar River Trail and Lake Washington Loop connect the city for walking and cycling, with seasonal salmon runs.
Maplewood Golf Course along the Cedar River, plus dozens of neighborhood parks and the forested trails of east Renton.
Open-air shopping and dining at The Landing, plus the first Pacific Northwest IKEA (rebuilt 2017) — a regional retail draw.
A growing downtown restaurant and brewery scene, with the massive Westfield Southcenter mall minutes away in neighboring Tukwila.
Regional access: Seattle and Bellevue add world-class dining, arts, and pro sports within a short drive, and Sea-Tac makes travel easy — but Renton's own retail and restaurant base covers most everyday needs.
Downtown Renton and The Landing are walkable pockets, but like most of the region Renton is a car-oriented city, with I-405 and SR-167 immediate and Sea-Tac close. King County Metro and Sound Transit buses run from the Renton Transit Center, and planned I-405 bus rapid transit will improve north–south options — see the commute section above for routes and times.
Honest answers to what people ask most — including the downsides.
We'll walk you through current conditions in your target Renton neighborhoods, the homes that match your priorities and commute, and an honest picture of schools and value — before you commit to anything.
This comprehensive community guide to Renton, Washington was created by HeartLink Homes at Keller Williams Puyallup to provide prospective residents with detailed, accurate information about living in this King County city. Information has been compiled from:
Important: While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, all information is subject to change. Statistics, school ratings, market conditions, and development plans evolve over time. Prospective residents should independently verify information critical to their decision — including school district and boundary assignments, current pricing, and specific property details. Contact HeartLink Homes for current NWMLS data.