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Living in
Moses Lake.
About
Life in Moses Lake
Moses Lake has experienced real growth over the past decade, and if you're considering a move here, you should know what that means in practice. The job market is genuinely diverse—this isn't a one-company town. You've got Boeing, Dell, and manufacturing plants for carbon fiber and electric vehicle batteries, plus traditional agriculture and food processing.
Moses Lake at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
32.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.8%
Foreign-Born
7.6%
Broadband Internet
90.3%
of households
Population Growth
+8.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics7.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Moses Lake: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Moses Lake, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (71.5%), and 21.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.7%
of residents
65 and Older
13.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
33.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.5%
of households
Married Couples
40.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.55
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 31% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Moses Lake
In Moses Lake, rent runs 31% below the WA average, and home values are 45% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,536
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1992
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $360,400 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.8 pts above WA average
Unemployment in Moses Lake
Unemployment in Moses Lake is 1.8 percentage points higher than the WA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Moses Lake Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.2 min avg
How Moses Lake residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Moses Lake, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 47 mi
Pangborn Memorial Airport (EAT)
Regional airport · few flights43k passengers boarded in 2025
- 144 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 15% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Moses Lake runs 15% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
380
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,641.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Moses Lake Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
76.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Grant County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Grant County, which includes Moses Lake, the most common type is heavy snow, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 4 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 13 | Wildfire | $500 |
| 2022 | 12 | Heavy Snow | $6,000 |
| 2021 | 12 | Dust Storm | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 22 | Dust Storm | None reported |
| 2019 | 12 | Heavy Snow | $500 |
| 2018 | 12 | Heavy Snow | $100,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
5 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Grant County, county-wide
Air Quality28 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Grant County, which includes Moses Lake, is typically good — 291 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
28
Good Days
291
per year
Moderate Days
71
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Grant County, county-wide
Climate86°F summers, 25°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Moses Lake has warm summers (avg high 86°F) and cold winters (avg low 25°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
64°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
86°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
63°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
39°/25°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
7.8"
Hot Days/Year
43
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
129
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
74
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°F | 24°F | 1.02" |
| Feb | 44°F | 27°F | 0.65" |
| Mar | 55°F | 32°F | 0.73" |
| Apr | 64°F | 37°F | 0.65" |
| May | 74°F | 45°F | 0.72" |
| Jun | 80°F | 52°F | 0.73" |
| Jul | 90°F | 57°F | 0.26" |
| Aug | 88°F | 56°F | 0.15" |
| Sep | 79°F | 47°F | 0.26" |
| Oct | 63°F | 37°F | 0.66" |
| Nov | 46°F | 29°F | 0.87" |
| Dec | 36°F | 24°F | 1.11" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Moses Lake
Moses Lake has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
6.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Samaritan Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Moses Lake
Moses Lake's student/teacher ratio is 17.9:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 21.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
17
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, 41 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Moses Lake
Moses Lake has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail (41 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail
National Geologic Trail
41 mi awayLake Roosevelt National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
84 mi awayWhitman Mission National Historic Site
National Historic Site
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in Moses Lake
Moses Lake Public Library
418 E 5th Ave, Moses Lake
Cities Near Moses Lake
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Moses Lake?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Moses Lake FAQ
Is Moses Lake, Washington affordable?⌄
Moses Lake's median rent is $1,216/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $74,752/year. Median home value is $310,000.
Is Moses Lake, Washington safe?⌄
Moses Lake's violent crime rate was 380 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2642 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Moses Lake, Washington?⌄
Moses Lake has an unemployment rate of 6.5%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Moses Lake, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Moses Lake is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,216/month and median household income is $74,752/year. The median home value is $310,000. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Moses Lake, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Moses Lake is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from