What it's like to live in Lakewood
Lakewood is a smaller city in Washington with schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lakewood deals with home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Lakewood compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lakewood
Based on Lakewood's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,050
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $61,000 a year
- 50% of Lakewood renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$92,240
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $46,120
- Homes cost 6.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,525/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,525 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $461,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $461,200 · 50% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 23% above US
5.3% unemployment
Unemployment here is 5.3%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 56% above US
514 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2721/100k · Lakewood Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 13% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% 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 36°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 36% below US
23% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 23%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
28 public schools inside the boundary
There are 28 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (32 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Lakewood's numbers stands out as a clear strength, and the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,525/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. Whether it fits comes down to the specifics: the neighborhood, the job, and what matters most in the move.
Other places near Lakewood
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