What it's like to live in Maple Valley
Maple Valley is a small city in Washington with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Maple Valley 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
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Long commutes
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Above-average rainfall
How Maple Valley compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Maple Valley
Based on Maple Valley's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,608
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $92,160 a year
- 51% of Maple Valley renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$144,940
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $72,470
- Homes cost 4.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 63% above US
$2,304/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,304 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 $724,700. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $724,700 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 83% below US
56 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 1106/100k · Maple Valley Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 42% above US
37 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 37 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; 24% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 75°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 39% above US
50% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
5 public schools inside the boundary
There are 5 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 (21 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Maple Valley'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 ($2,304/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (24% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
Other places near Maple Valley
All Washington guides →Moving to Covington →
3 mi away · pop. 21,233
Rent $2,232/mo · Income $134,502
Compare with Maple Valley →Moving to Fairwood CDP (King County) →
7 mi away · pop. 17,856
Rent $2,233/mo · Income $122,134
Compare with Maple Valley →Not sure Maple Valley is the one?
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