What it's like to live in Snohomish
Snohomish is a small city in Washington with 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. Snohomish 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
- Low crime rates
- Growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
How Snohomish compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Snohomish
Based on Snohomish's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,308
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $66,160 a year
- 53% of Snohomish renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$136,780
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $68,390
- Homes cost 7.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 17% above US
$1,654/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,654 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 $683,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $683,900 · 53% 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▼ 46% below US
179 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 1910/100k · Snohomish Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 12% 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
34% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 34% 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
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20:1, 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 (25 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Snohomish's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and 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 ($1,654/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Snohomish
All Washington guides →Moving to Silver Firs →
5 mi away · pop. 22,306
Rent $2,881/mo · Income $163,418
Compare with Snohomish →Moving to Lake Stevens →
5 mi away · pop. 40,253
Rent $2,224/mo · Income $122,336
Compare with Snohomish →Not sure Snohomish is the one?
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