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Living in
Mount Vernon.
About
Life in Mount Vernon
If you're looking at Mount Vernon, you're getting a solid mid-sized city in the Pacific Northwest sweet spot—close enough to Seattle for commuting (about 22 minutes on average) but with a distinctly more affordable housing market and a slower pace. The median home value sits around $472,000 and median rent around $1,405, which is significantly easier than Seattle prices, though it's still a real investment. Winters are cool and wet, summers are warm and dry—typical Pacific Northwest climate without the oppressive rain some other parts of the region get.
Mount Vernon at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.1%
Foreign-Born
16.4%
Broadband Internet
94.3%
of households
Population Growth
-0.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Mount Vernon: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Mount Vernon, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (63.6%), and 26.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
24.7%
of residents
65 and Older
18.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
34.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
27.7%
of households
Married Couples
45.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.59
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 20% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Mount Vernon
In Mount Vernon, rent runs 20% below the WA average, and home values are 16% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
24.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
102.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,268
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1989
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $582,462 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WA
Unemployment in Mount Vernon
Unemployment in Mount Vernon is close to the WA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Mount Vernon Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.9 min avg
How Mount Vernon residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Mount Vernon, most residents drive alone to work (74%), and 68% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 27 mi
Bellingham International Airport (BLI)
Regional airport · few flights226k passengers boarded in 2025
- 67 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 60% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Mount Vernon runs 60% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
130.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,493.6
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Mount Vernon Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 1 event in 2024
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
88.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Skagit County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Skagit County, which includes Mount Vernon, the most common type is flood, with 1 recorded event in 2024.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | Flash Flood | $103,400 |
| 2021 | 2 | Flood | $15.0M |
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.
24 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Skagit County, county-wide
Air Quality25 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Skagit County, which includes Mount Vernon, is typically good — 354 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
25
Good Days
354
per year
Moderate Days
9
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Skagit County, county-wide
Climate73°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Mount Vernon has mild summers (avg high 73°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
73°/52°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
34.9"
Annual Snowfall
5.7"
Hot Days/Year
0
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
46
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
186
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 35°F | 6.18" |
| Feb | 49°F | 35°F | 4.11" |
| Mar | 53°F | 38°F | 4.76" |
| Apr | 58°F | 41°F | 4.17" |
| May | 65°F | 47°F | 3.46" |
| Jun | 69°F | 51°F | 2.60" |
| Jul | 75°F | 53°F | 1.34" |
| Aug | 75°F | 53°F | 1.60" |
| Sep | 70°F | 49°F | 2.86" |
| Oct | 60°F | 43°F | 4.98" |
| Nov | 50°F | 39°F | 7.02" |
| Dec | 45°F | 34°F | 5.45" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
8.5%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Skagit Valley Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Peacehealth United General Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 5.4 mi away · Sedro Woolley
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.
Education16.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon's student/teacher ratio is 16.5:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 27.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Mount Vernon
Public · 2-year · 2,477 students · in-state tuition $5,700 · 49% graduate · median earnings $50,327 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, 22 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve (22 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve
National Historical Reserve
22 mi awaySan Juan Island National Historical Park
National Historical Park
35 mi awayNorth Cascades National Park
National Park
54 mi awayKlondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
57 mi awayWing Luke Museum Affiliated Area
Affiliated Area
57 mi awayOlympic National Park
National Park
76 mi awayPublic Libraries in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon City Library
315 Snoqualmie St., Mount Vernon
Cities Near Mount Vernon
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Mount Vernon?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Mount Vernon FAQ
Is Mount Vernon, Washington affordable?⌄
Mount Vernon's median rent is $1,405/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $75,777/year. Median home value is $472,300.
Is Mount Vernon, Washington safe?⌄
Mount Vernon's violent crime rate was 130 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1494 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Mount Vernon, Washington?⌄
Mount Vernon has an unemployment rate of 4.7%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Mount Vernon, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Mount Vernon is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,405/month and median household income is $75,777/year. The median home value is $472,300. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Mount Vernon, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Mount Vernon is 23 minutes, which is about 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