What it's like to live in Lake Stevens
Lake Stevens is a small city in Washington with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a growing population. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lake Stevens deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, long average commutes, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Long commutes
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
How Lake Stevens compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lake Stevens
Based on Lake Stevens's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,448
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $88,960 a year
- 56% of Lake Stevens renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$127,120
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $63,560
- Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 57% above US
$2,224/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,224 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 $635,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $635,600 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 14% above US
4.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 70% below US
98 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 656/100k · Lake Stevens Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 35% above US
35 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 35.2 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. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 21% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 73°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 34°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% 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
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 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 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lake Stevens'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 ($2,224/mo) equals 22% 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 (21% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Lake Stevens
All Washington guides →Moving to Snohomish →
5 mi away · pop. 10,239
Rent $1,654/mo · Income $87,250
Compare with Lake Stevens →Moving to Everett →
5 mi away · pop. 111,845
Rent $1,740/mo · Income $83,512
Compare with Lake Stevens →Moving to Marysville →
6 mi away · pop. 73,002
Rent $1,997/mo · Income $103,974
Compare with Lake Stevens →Moving to Eastmont →
9 mi away · pop. 23,721
Rent $2,443/mo · Income $138,912
Compare with Lake Stevens →Not sure Lake Stevens is the one?
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