What it's like to live in Mill Creek
Mill Creek 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. Mill Creek 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
- Highly educated workforce
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
How Mill Creek compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Mill Creek
Based on Mill Creek's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,498
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $89,960 a year
- 47% of Mill Creek renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$180,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $90,380
- Homes cost 7.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 59% above US
$2,249/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,249 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 $903,800. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $903,800 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in Snohomish County is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Snohomish County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 64% below US
131 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 1909/100k · Mill Creek Police Department · 2024 data
Getting around▲ 27% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33 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. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 30% 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 & workforce▲ 56% above US
56% 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
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, 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 (19 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Mill Creek'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 ($2,249/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, remote workers (30% 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 Mill Creek
All Washington guides →Moving to Martha Lake →
2 mi away · pop. 22,634
Rent $2,185/mo · Income $124,494
Compare with Mill Creek →Moving to Mill Creek East →
2 mi away · pop. 25,453
Rent $3,152/mo · Income $192,937
Compare with Mill Creek →Moving to Eastmont →
2 mi away · pop. 23,721
Rent $2,443/mo · Income $138,912
Compare with Mill Creek →Moving to Silver Firs →
3 mi away · pop. 22,306
Rent $2,881/mo · Income $163,418
Compare with Mill Creek →Not sure Mill Creek is the one?
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