You've probably already noticed that Camas keeps coming up in conversations about Southwest Washington — the setting, the commute to Portland, the community character. What those conversations often gloss over is the price tag. Camas sits along the north bank of the Columbia River in Clark County, connected to Portland by SR-14 and the I-205 corridor, and its cost of living runs noticeably above both the national average and most of its Clark County neighbors. That premium isn't arbitrary: it reflects a housing market shaped by high-income tech and finance employers, strong community infrastructure, and a small-town character that genuinely limits the housing supply.
The economic engine here is real and concentrated. WaferTech (now operating under TSMC Washington) and Analog Devices anchor a semiconductor cluster that pays well above regional median wages. Fisher Investments adds a white-collar professional layer that pushes household incomes — and home expectations — upward. The median household income of $141,126 is among the highest in Clark County, and the housing market has priced accordingly. That income base also means Camas attracts buyers who are choosing it deliberately, not settling for it.
On balance, Camas is approximately 19% more expensive than the national average and roughly 4% above the Washington state average, with housing doing most of the heavy lifting on that gap. The offset that makes the math work for many residents: Washington levies no personal income tax. For the significant share of Clark County workers who commute into Oregon for work, that means earning Portland-area wages while keeping every dollar of state income tax that Oregon would otherwise collect — a structural advantage that can be worth tens of thousands of dollars annually for a dual-income household.
Whether you're comparing Camas to Vancouver to the west, weighing a rent-versus-buy decision, or trying to build a realistic monthly budget before you sign anything, the sections below break down Camas's housing costs, everyday expenses, utility rates, nearby-city price comparisons, and the full tax picture.
What It Really Costs to Live in Camas
The Zillow Home Value Index for Camas stood at $717,897 as of June 2026 — a figure that places it well above Vancouver and most of the Southwest Washington market. That number hasn't drifted there by accident. Camas has a constrained land footprint, a resident base that earns significantly more than the Clark County median, and sustained demand from Portland-area professionals who want the Washington side of the river. All three factors compress supply and sustain prices at a level that routinely surprises buyers relocating from the eastern side of the state or from smaller Oregon cities.
What keeps Camas from feeling unaffordable to the people who live here is the income side of the equation. A median household income of $141,126 means the typical Camas household carries more purchasing power than almost anywhere else in the county. The absence of a Washington state income tax adds meaningful take-home pay on top of that — a structural cost-of-living advantage that doesn't show up in any index but shows up clearly in monthly cash flow.
Compared to Portland's closer-in suburbs on the Oregon side — Lake Oswego, Beaverton, and similar communities — Camas comes in at a broadly similar or modestly lower price point for ownership, while offering the income-tax benefit Oregon residents don't get. Compared to Vancouver, Camas is noticeably more expensive on a per-home basis. The gap between Camas and Washougal is even wider. If you're building a budget, start with housing — it's doing most of the work in this market.
Housing: Rent vs Buy in Camas
The Ownership Market
Entry-level ownership in Camas — older construction, smaller lots, more dated finishes — starts around the low-to-mid $500,000s. The city-wide median sold price sits closer to the Zillow Home Value Index figure of $717,897, and homes in newer subdivisions or with Columbia River views push well past $900,000. That spread matters when you're setting expectations: what counts as "affordable" in Camas is still a substantial commitment by any regional measure.
The effective property tax rate is approximately 1.09% annually, per the Clark County Assessor. That rate is applied to assessed value — use the interactive calculator below this section to model what ownership actually costs per month at your specific purchase price. Washington's lack of a state income tax partially offsets property tax exposure for high-income buyers, but the property tax line itself is real and shouldn't be ignored at these price points.
The Rental Market
Apartment-style rentals in Camas ran from roughly $1,290/month for a studio to approximately $2,077/month for a two-bedroom unit in 2026, per Rent.com market data. Single-family rentals tell a different story: the median rent across all home types was $2,797/month as of June 2026, according to Homes.com — meaning a household needs to earn close to $112,000 annually just to rent a house here without exceeding the standard 30%-of-income threshold.
Renting makes the most sense in Camas if you're new to the area and need 12–18 months to understand the market before committing, or if your employment situation is in flux. The rental inventory is thin, though — this is a predominantly owner-occupied city, and apartment options are concentrated rather than spread across the city. Buyers who know they're staying five or more years generally find the ownership calculus more favorable here, especially given the income-tax advantage on the Washington side.
What Surprises Buyers Six Months In
The most common post-move realization: utility costs in Camas are lower than expected, but city water, sewer, and stormwater bills have been climbing. A council-approved rate increase took effect in 2024, with further annual increases projected through 2028. Budget for that trajectory, not last year's bill.
Everyday Costs Beyond Housing in Camas
Electricity is one place Camas residents genuinely catch a break. Residential power averaged approximately 14.95 cents per kilowatt-hour in May 2026 — roughly 19% below the national average — driven by the region's hydroelectric grid, which supplies about 79% of local power. Rates have risen about 10% year-over-year, so that advantage is narrowing, but the Pacific Northwest grid still delivers meaningfully lower electricity costs than most of the country.
Groceries in Camas skew slightly above the national norm. Downtown Camas anchors around a Safeway, and a Grocery Outlet on NE 3rd Ave offers brand-name products at 40–70% off conventional retail — a real budget lever if you're willing to shop opportunistically. Larger-format options like Whole Foods, Natural Grocers, and Trader Joe's require a trip to Vancouver, which is a straightforward 15–20 minutes west. Gas prices track with the broader Pacific Northwest and tend to run above the national average; most Camas households are car-dependent, so fuel is a genuine monthly line item.
| Category | Typical Monthly Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (2BR rent) | $1,900–$2,100 | Apartment-style 2BR range per Rent.com 2026. Owners: use the mortgage calculator above for a purchase estimate. |
| Electricity | $90–$160 | Based on ~14.95¢/kWh (May 2026); varies significantly by home size and season |
| Water, Sewer & Solid Waste | $140–$160 | City-billed bi-monthly; post-2024 rate increases push the pre-increase ~$132 average higher |
| Groceries | $500–$750 | For 1–2 person household; Grocery Outlet on NE 3rd Ave meaningfully lowers this for flexible shoppers |
| Transportation & Gas | $200–$400 | Most residents drive; C-TRAN bus from Fisher's Landing Transit Center available for Portland commuters |
| Phone & Internet | $100–$180 | Competitive providers serve the area; bundle deals available |
| Misc / Discretionary | $300–$600 | Dining out, coffee along downtown's independent café strip, and weekend activities |
These are estimates for a renter household and will vary by lifestyle. Homeowners should add insurance and maintenance reserves on top of the calculator's mortgage output.
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Camas vs Nearby Cities: Cost Comparison
| City | Median Home Price | Typical 2BR Rent | Cost vs Camas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camas, WA | $717,897 (Zillow Home Value Index, June 2026) | ~$1,900–$2,100/mo | — Baseline — |
| Vancouver, WA | ~$430,000–$460,000 | ~$1,600–$1,900/mo | Noticeably cheaper |
| Washougal, WA | ~$490,000–$530,000 | ~$1,700–$1,950/mo | Meaningfully cheaper |
| Ridgefield, WA | ~$520,000–$570,000 | ~$1,750–$2,000/mo | Moderately cheaper |
| Troutdale, OR | ~$430,000–$470,000 | ~$1,550–$1,800/mo | Noticeably cheaper — but Oregon income tax applies |
| Lake Oswego, OR | ~$700,000–$800,000 | ~$2,000–$2,400/mo | Broadly similar — but Oregon income tax applies |
* Zillow Home Value Index = Zillow's smoothed, seasonally adjusted estimate of typical home values for a given region.
The Troutdale comparison deserves a specific note: its sticker price is lower, but Oregon residents pay state income tax at rates that can exceed 9% — a cost that doesn't show up in any home-price table but can easily dwarf the purchase-price difference for a dual-income household.
Washougal sits immediately to Camas's east and offers a broadly similar commute to Portland with meaningfully lower home prices — it's the comparison most buyers in this corridor end up making, and the answer usually comes down to how much Camas's established community infrastructure and character matter to you relative to the savings.
Taxes & the Bottom Line for Camas
No State Income Tax — and Why That's a Big Deal Here
Washington is one of nine states with no personal income tax. For a household earning $150,000 in Oregon, state income tax alone can top $10,000 annually. Camas residents who commute to Portland-area employers — and roughly half of Clark County workers do exactly that — earn Oregon-side wages while owing zero Oregon state income tax as Washington residents. That's the single most powerful cost-of-living lever in Camas, and it's one the purchase price alone doesn't capture.
Sales Tax
Camas has a combined state and local sales tax rate of 8.8%, which applies to most retail purchases, restaurant tabs, and goods — as confirmed by the Washington Department of Revenue's Q3 2026 rate table. That rate is moderately higher than the national average but lower than rates in some Clark County municipalities. Oregon has no sales tax at all, so Portland-area cross-river shopping is a real behavior for some Camas residents, particularly on larger purchases.
Property Tax
The effective property tax rate in Camas is approximately 1.09% annually. At the city's current median price point, that's a meaningful annual obligation — use the calculator to model the monthly impact at your specific purchase price. Washington's lack of a state income tax partially offsets this exposure, but the property tax line itself is real and shouldn't be underestimated at these price points.
The Honest Bottom Line
Camas fits households that are earning well — ideally above $130,000 — and who value what the market is pricing in: the community character, the setting, the short Portland commute, and established infrastructure. It tends to be a stretch for single-income households at regional median wages, and entry-level buyers often find that the same budget goes meaningfully further in Washougal, Vancouver, or Ridgefield. What Camas sells is a specific package, and the cost-of-living picture only makes sense when you account for the income-tax advantage alongside the higher purchase price.
Local Expert Takeaway: The income-tax arbitrage is real and it's substantial — a dual-income household earning Portland wages from the Washington side of the river can net tens of thousands of dollars more per year than Oregon counterparts at the same gross salary. That advantage, combined with a combined state and local sales tax rate of 8.8% and an effective property tax rate of approximately 1.09%, makes Camas's total tax burden more competitive than the home-price sticker suggests. Shop your groceries at the Grocery Outlet on NE 3rd Ave for everyday savings, and account for the city's utility rate trajectory — the 2024 increases are just the beginning of a multi-year schedule that runs through 2028.
Quick Takeaways & FAQs
✅ Camas residents who commute to Portland pay zero Washington state income tax on Oregon-earned wages — a structural savings advantage worth thousands annually for many households.
⚠️ The city-wide median home price of $717,897 (June 2026) is noticeably higher than every nearby Clark County city, including Washougal and Vancouver, making Camas a deliberate upgrade choice rather than a value play.
📍 Electricity rates at approximately 14.95¢/kWh run about 19% below the national average thanks to the Pacific Northwest's hydroelectric grid — one of the few everyday cost categories where Camas is genuinely cheaper than most of the country.
What is the median home price in Camas, WA?
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