What it's like to live in Snoqualmie
Snoqualmie 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. Snoqualmie deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and a population that has been shrinking.
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
- Shrinking population
- High student-teacher ratio
- Very rainy — 63" of rain per year
How Snoqualmie compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Snoqualmie
Based on Snoqualmie's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$5,876
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $117,520 a year
- 31% of Snoqualmie renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$195,440
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $97,720
- Homes cost 4.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 108% above US
$2,938/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,938 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 $977,200. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $977,200 · 31% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in King County is 4.5%, 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.
King County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 82% below US
59 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 1142/100k · Snoqualmie Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 12% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 29 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 33% 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. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 97% above US
71% 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
8 public schools inside the boundary
There are 8 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, 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 (23 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Snoqualmie'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 ($2,938/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (33% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget.
Other places near Snoqualmie
All Washington guides →Moving to Issaquah →
10 mi away · pop. 39,591
Rent $2,590/mo · Income $154,669
Compare with Snoqualmie →Moving to Sammamish →
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Rent $2,857/mo · Income $239,690
Compare with Snoqualmie →Moving to East Renton Highlands →
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Rent $2,717/mo · Income $142,500
Compare with Snoqualmie →Moving to Union Hill-Novelty Hill →
14 mi away · pop. 23,047
Rent $2,556/mo · Income $185,369
Compare with Snoqualmie →Not sure Snoqualmie is the one?
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