What it's like to live in Bonney Lake
Bonney Lake is a small city in Washington with household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bonney Lake deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bonney Lake compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bonney Lake
Based on Bonney Lake's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,512
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $90,240 a year
- 47% of Bonney Lake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$121,580
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $60,790
- Homes cost 4.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 60% above US
$2,256/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,256 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $607,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $607,900 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Pierce County is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Pierce County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 70% below US
99 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1312/100k · Bonney Lake Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 23% above US
32 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 32.1 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 74°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 16% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 30% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (30 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bonney Lake's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,256/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget, people who dread long commutes, and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Bonney Lake
All Washington guides →Moving to Prairie Ridge →
3 mi away · pop. 12,074
Rent $1,965/mo · Income $114,356
Compare with Bonney Lake →Moving to Lake Tapps →
5 mi away · pop. 12,798
Rent $2,091/mo · Income $148,005
Compare with Bonney Lake →Moving to Puyallup →
6 mi away · pop. 42,746
Rent $1,812/mo · Income $97,826
Compare with Bonney Lake →Not sure Bonney Lake is the one?
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