Census-designated place · Washington
Big Lake, Washington
Big Lake, census-designated place, in Skagit County, Washington. Big Lake had 2,980 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,326 (±451). GEOID 5306050.
Residents, 2020 Census
2,980
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 2,326 ±451
Median household income
$109,286
±$41,861 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$666,400
±$41,520 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$1,980
±$308 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Big Lake and what county is it in?
Big Lake is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Skagit County, Washington. It covers 7.7 square miles of land, 389 residents per square mile in 2020.
Big Lake is in the Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA metropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Big Lake, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 2,980 residents in Big Lake, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 2,326 (±451).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Big Lake is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Big Lake | Skagit County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,326 ±451 | 131,328 | no clear change |
| Households | 932 ±169 | 52,329 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.50 ±0.26 | 2.47 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,085 ±193 | 57,050 | +270 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Big Lake?
The median resident of Big Lake is 42.9 years old; 21.5% are under 18 and 23.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.0%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 7.2%. 8.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Big Lake | Skagit County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 ±9.5 | 42.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 21.5% ±5.2 pts | 20.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 23.4% ±5.6 pts | 22.6% | – |
| Male | 49.4% ±3.8 pts | 49.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.8% ±5.0 pts | 19.3% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.0% ±8.7 pts | 70.9% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 4.3% ±5.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 7.2% ±5.3 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 3.1% ±2.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.5% ±4.7 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.4% ±6.7 pts | 16.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 14.1% ±3.7 pts | 9.4% | – |
| With a disability | 13.5% ±4.2 pts | 15.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.3% ±1.9 pts | 6.4% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.9% ±4.1 pts | 91.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 36.3% ±8.4 pts | 30.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.6% ±6.2 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.9% ±5.5 pts | 88.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±1.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Big Lake earn?
Half of Big Lake's 932 households earn less than $109,286 a year (±$41,861), against $89,263 in Skagit County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 it was $130,062 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Big Lake | Skagit County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,286 ±$41,861 | $89,263 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $131,048 ±$23,611 | $111,733 | – |
| Per capita income | $54,572 ±$9,051 | $45,140 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.1% ±3.7 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±7.7 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.6% ±7.8 pts | 12.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.1% ±5.3 pts | 96.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.0% ±4.0 pts | 93.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Big Lake?
Owners occupy 92.2% of Big Lake's occupied homes and renters 7.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $666,400 by its owner (±$41,520). The median renter pays $1,980 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Big Lake | Skagit County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $666,400 ±$41,520 | $545,100 | +$191,229 |
| Median gross rent | $1,980 ±$308 | $1,536 | +$778 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 13.7% ±22.6 pts | 42.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,450 ±$478 | $2,285 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 92.2% ±5.2 pts | 70.1% | +12.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 7.8% ±5.2 pts | 29.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,085 ±193 | 57,050 | +270 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±38.5 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 86.0% ±6.7 pts | 73.1% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.8% ±5.1 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.3% ±0.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 11.1% ±6.2 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 15.0% ±8.0 pts | 12.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.1% ±2.5 pts | 3.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Big Lake work and get to work?
79.0% of Big Lake's workers drive alone and 9.8% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.1 minutes.
| Measure | Big Lake | Skagit County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 51.0% ±9.1 pts | 58.4% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±4.2 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 79.0% ±10.0 pts | 74.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.9% ±9.6 pts | 9.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 1.4% ±1.9 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.8% ±6.1 pts | 12.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.1 min ±5.8 | 26.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Big Lake?
No census tract lies mostly in Big Lake; 4 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9524.03Skagit County | 5,508 | $84,409 |
| Tract 9512Skagit County | 3,458 | $128,798 |
| Tract 9527Skagit County | 3,970 | $123,882 |
| Tract 9526Skagit County | 4,191 | $109,904 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Big Lake) · Census block assignment files
How does Big Lake compare with other places in Washington?
Big Lake ranks 128th of 387 places in Washington with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 295th | 393 |
| Residents per square mile | 361st | 394 |
| Median household income | 128th | 387 |
| Per capita income | 109th | 393 |
| Median home value | 106th | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 96th | 351 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 131st | 382 |
| Median age | 131st | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 37th | 388 |
| Work from home | 248th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 149th | 394 |
Big Lake's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Big Lake with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Big Lake?
22 of the 57 figures for Big Lake on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Big Lake are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.