City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Carnation, WA

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

2,476
Residents
$141,097
Median income
$775,800
Median home
$2,501
Median rent (state)

Carnation - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Carnation lands in the 93rd percentile for household income and the 73rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

93rd
percentile, household income
94th
percentile, home value
92nd
percentile, median rent
73rd
percentile, safety
📝 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: Carnation, WA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 2,476 residents in Carnation, a small town within Washington. The typical household in Carnation brings in $141,097 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Home values in Carnation run a median of $775,800, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. Educational attainment runs 45.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 74.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 74 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 393% from five years earlier. Carnation reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 779.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $2,501 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 99.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

2,476 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$141,097 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Carnation compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 94% pricier than other cities
Median rent 92% pricier than other cities
Safety 73% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Washington, Carnation ranks #22 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

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

Washington-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Carnation near the bottom of Washington's cities

Among the 598 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Carnation ranks #489 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Carnation only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#59 of 565
90th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 599
87th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#60 of 565
89th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#489 of 598
0th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#102 of 599
83rd 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.

93rdIncome percentile
73rdSafety percentile

93rd percentile nationally for median household income · 73rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Carnation's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Carnation's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 58 Avg. percentile National median
Carnation's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Carnation's home value compares nationally

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

$775,800 6th percentile more affordable than 6% 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%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Carnation $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 - Carnation, WA Carnation, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Carnation, 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 Carnation, WA median $141,097/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%
Carnation, 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 Carnation, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 74.6%

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

Population
2,476
Median Income
$141,097
Median Home Value
$775,800
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
74.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
779.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
45.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
733.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,100 residents2,200 residents2,300 residents2,400 residents2,500 residents2,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,159 residents 2,471 residents ▲ +14.5%
Carnation's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
74
housing units authorized
Single-Family
74
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
29.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 15
2020 19
2021 17
2022 16
2023 28
2024 74

Permit volume increased 393% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.4%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
24.5%

Based on 1,343 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 Carnation sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,501/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
99.7 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Okanogan
2,477 people
Mabton
2,481 people
Rainier
2,499 people
North Yelm
2,503 people
Burley
2,516 people
Warden
2,531 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Carnation's 2,476 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Paynesville, MN
2,476 people
Westhampton Beach, NY
2,476 people
Pageland, SC
2,476 people
Owings, MD
2,475 people
North Brookfield, MA
2,477 people
Clearbrook, NJ
2,477 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Carnation's $141,097 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sierra Madre, CA
$141,094 median income
Salt Point, NY
$141,141 median income
East Douglas, MA
$141,042 median income
Lovettsville, VA
$141,042 median income
Tega Cay, SC
$141,037 median income
Bay Hill, FL
$141,170 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Carnation, 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 Carnation, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.5% 11.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 14.9% White 80.5% Black or African American 0.6% Asian 4.4% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.7% Two or more races 11.5% 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 Carnation 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
Carnation (this city) 2,476 $141,097
Okanogan 2,477 $73,273
Mabton 2,481 $54,722
Rainier 2,499 $101,644
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Carnation, WA?

What is the population of Carnation, WA? +

2,476 people live in Carnation, WA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Carnation, WA? +

The median household income in Carnation is $141,097 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Carnation? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Carnation; 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.

Is Carnation, WA safe? +

Carnation has a total crime rate of 779.5 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Carnation, WA? +

Homes in Carnation carry a median value of $775,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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

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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.