Carpenters Salary
Carpenters in Longview-Kelso, WA make a median of $68,550 a year, or about $32.96 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $117K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.55), that's roughly $70,272 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,451/month, about 30.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $69K get you in Longview-Kelso?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Longview-Kelso’s Regional Price Parity (97.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About carpenters
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What this looks like in Longview-Kelso
Longview-Kelso sits well above the national pay line for carpenters, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $61K. Rent runs $1,451/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 97.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for carpenters in metros near Longview-Kelso, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $76K | $69K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $62K | $62K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $64K | $64K |
| Bellingham | $73K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Longview-Kelso, WA
Entry-level carpenters (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $69K. Top earners bring in $117K or more, a $67K spread from bottom to top.
Carpenters pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Carpenters salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $85K | +41% | 4,810 |
| Illinois | $79K | +30% | 19,570 |
| California | $76K | +25% | 100,750 |
| Massachusetts | $75K | +24% | 18,540 |
| Washington | $74K | +22% | 26,960 |
| Alaska | $74K | +22% | 2,560 |
| New York | $72K | +19% | 40,630 |
| Minnesota | $65K | +7% | 14,930 |
| Connecticut | $64K | +6% | 5,160 |
| New Jersey | $64K | +6% | 14,230 |
| Maryland | $63K | +4% | 9,770 |
| Oregon | $63K | +4% | 15,110 |
| Indiana | $63K | +4% | 15,240 |
| Colorado | $63K | +4% | 12,740 |
| Vermont | $62K | +3% | 3,080 |
| Nevada | $62K | +3% | 12,700 |
| Maine | $62K | +3% | 5,170 |
| District of Columbia | $62K | +2% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $62K | +2% | 18,590 |
| Wisconsin | $62K | +2% | 13,880 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +1% | 3,760 |
| Missouri | $61K | +0% | 14,410 |
| Rhode Island | $61K | +0% | 2,580 |
| Ohio | $61K | +0% | 18,450 |
| New Mexico | $60K | -1% | 3,630 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -2% | 30,630 |
| Delaware | $59K | -2% | 2,250 |
| Montana | $59K | -3% | 4,030 |
| Arizona | $59K | -3% | 16,230 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -4% | 2,360 |
| Iowa | $58K | -5% | 5,770 |
| Kansas | $57K | -6% | 5,210 |
| Wyoming | $57K | -6% | 2,260 |
| Virginia | $56K | -8% | 20,460 |
| Kentucky | $53K | -13% | 8,540 |
| Utah | $52K | -14% | 15,220 |
| Idaho | $52K | -14% | 8,380 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -16% | 8,200 |
| South Carolina | $51K | -16% | 6,950 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -17% | 5,710 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -18% | 8,990 |
| Florida | $50K | -18% | 39,300 |
| Georgia | $49K | -19% | 9,190 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -19% | 13,480 |
| Texas | $49K | -19% | 33,540 |
| West Virginia | $49K | -20% | 3,670 |
| Mississippi | $49K | -20% | 2,950 |
| Alabama | $48K | -20% | 5,560 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -21% | 4,560 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -21% | 4,030 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -23% | 3,820 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track carpenters salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a carpenter afford a 2BR apartment alone in Longview-Kelso?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $69K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,451/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for carpenters in Longview-Kelso?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new carpenters typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,002/month. At HUD’s $1,451/month FMR, rent would take 48% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is carpenter a high-paying job in Longview-Kelso?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $69K here vs. $61K nationally.
How does Longview-Kelso compare to the national average for carpenters?
Longview-Kelso pays $69K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do carpenters make in Longview-Kelso, WA?
The median is $68,550 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,040, and experienced carpenters can clear $117,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $69K enough to live in Longview-Kelso?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,718/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,451/month, which eats 30.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a carpenters salary go in Longview-Kelso?
Longview-Kelso has a Regional Price Parity of 97.55 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median carpenters salary is worth about $70,272 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do carpenters get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.