City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Big Lake, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Big Lake - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

2,648
Residents
$119,000
Median income
$659,800
Median home
$1,720
Median rent (state)

Big Lake - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Big Lake places in the 87th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

87th
percentile, household income
92nd
percentile, home value
69th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Big Lake, WA

2,648 people live in Big Lake, Washington - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Big Lake households earn a median of $119,000 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.1%. Home values in Big Lake run a median of $659,800, and the median resident age is 48.3 years. Educational attainment runs 36.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 47.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Washington at 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,720 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). Workers in Big Lake report an average commute of 27.3 minutes, with 74.7% driving alone and 12.2% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 88.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

2,648 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$119,000 /yr

Poverty 2.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Big Lake compare to other US cities?

Big Lake measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 87% higher than other cities
Home value 92% pricier than other cities
Median rent 69% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Big Lake against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Median Home Value places Big Lake toward the top of Washington's cities

Among the 565 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Big Lake ranks #102 - the 82nd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Big Lake only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#109 of 565
81st percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#291 of 599
50th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#102 of 565
82nd percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#432 of 598
27th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#162 of 599
72nd percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

87thIncome percentile

87th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Big Lake's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$659,800 8th percentile more affordable than 8% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Big Lake $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Big Lake, WA Big Lake, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Big Lake, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Big Lake, WA median $119,000/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Big Lake, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Big Lake, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 36.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.7%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
2,648
Median Income
$119,000
Median Home Value
$659,800
Median Age
48.3
Poverty Rate
2.1%
Labor force participation
47.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
36.5%

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
27.3 minutes
Drive Alone
74.7%
Carpool
13.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
12.2%

Based on 944 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Big Lake sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,720/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
88.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Allyn
2,656 people
Peaceful Valley
2,661 people
Leavenworth
2,676 people
Fobes Hill
2,683 people
Friday Harbor
2,685 people
Dayton
2,695 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Lake's 2,648 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Crosslake, MN
2,648 people
Glenwood, MN
2,648 people
Mountain View, MO
2,648 people
Belgium, WI
2,648 people
Cadiz, KY
2,649 people
Breezy Point, MN
2,647 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Big Lake's $119,000 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lincoln Park, NJ
$119,000 median income
Thompsonville, PA
$118,981 median income
Pompton Lakes, NJ
$119,038 median income
Fleming Island, FL
$119,046 median income
Corinth, TX
$118,949 median income
Rochester Hills, MI
$119,054 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Big Lake, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Big Lake, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.7% 9.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.8% White 82.7% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 4.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.4% Two or more races 9.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Big Lake compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Big Lake (this city) 2,648 $119,000
Allyn 2,656 $107,823
Peaceful Valley 2,661 $60,271
Leavenworth 2,676 $74,653
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Big Lake, WA?

What is the population of Big Lake, WA? +

2,648 people live in Big Lake, WA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Big Lake, WA? +

Big Lake households earn a median of $119,000 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Big Lake? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Big Lake; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Big Lake, WA? +

The median home value in Big Lake is $659,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.