What it's like to live in Lynnwood
Lynnwood is a small city in Washington with a growing population and 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. Lynnwood deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High rent burden for renters
How Lynnwood compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lynnwood
Based on Lynnwood's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,484
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $69,680 a year
- 59% of Lynnwood renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$137,380
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $68,690
- Homes cost 8.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 23% above US
$1,742/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,742 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $686,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $686,900 · 59% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.7% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
SafetyNear US average
354 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 5262/100k · Lynnwood Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 15% above US
30 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% take public transit; 15% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 71°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F.
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
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, 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 (16 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lynnwood's strongest point is a growing population; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,742/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (15% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Lynnwood
All Washington guides →Moving to North Lynnwood →
2 mi away · pop. 23,339
Rent $2,145/mo · Income $101,088
Compare with Lynnwood →Moving to Mountlake Terrace →
3 mi away · pop. 23,104
Rent $2,004/mo · Income $107,687
Compare with Lynnwood →Moving to Alderwood Manor →
3 mi away · pop. 10,266
Rent $1,919/mo · Income $105,181
Compare with Lynnwood →Not sure Lynnwood is the one?
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