City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Lynden, WA

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

16,025
Residents
$94,869
Median income
$546,400
Median home
$1,794
Median rent (state)

Lynden - the verdict

Nationally, Lynden sits in the 74th percentile for household income and the 52nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

74th
percentile, household income
87th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
52nd
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: Lynden, WA

Lynden is a small town in Washington, home to 16,025 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Lynden brings in $94,869 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.2%. Typical homes in Lynden are valued around $546,400, and the median resident age is 35.9 years. 28.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 131 residential building permits were authorized in Lynden (Stable), down 4% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Lynden reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1309.1 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,794 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 91.0 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

16,025 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$94,869 /yr

Poverty 7.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Lynden compare to other US cities?

Where Lynden sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 74% higher than other cities
Home value 87% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 52% 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, Lynden ranks #50 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lynden's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

74thIncome percentile
52ndSafety percentile

74th percentile nationally for median household income · 52nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lynden's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lynden'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 49 Avg. percentile National median
Lynden'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 Lynden's home value compares nationally

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

$546,400 13th percentile more affordable than 13% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Lynden $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 - Lynden, WA Lynden, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lynden, 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 Lynden, WA median $94,869/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%
Lynden, 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 Lynden, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.8%

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

Population
16,025
Median Income
$94,869
Median Home Value
$546,400
Median Age
35.9
Poverty Rate
7.2%
Labor force participation
64.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1309.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
178.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1130.6
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
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
15,500 residents16,000 residents16,500 residents17,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,817 residents 16,881 residents ▲ +6.7%
Lynden's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
131
housing units authorized
Single-Family
43
detached homes
Multifamily
88
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 136
2020 134
2021 124
2022 215
2023 56
2024 131

Permit volume decreased 4% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.8%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
9.5%
Other
2.2%

Based on 7,909 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 Lynden sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,794/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
91.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Sunnyside
16,329 people
Port Orchard
16,398 people
Lake Stickney
15,514 people
Ferndale
15,447 people
Washougal
16,945 people
White Center
15,017 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lynden's 16,025 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Floral Park, NY
16,025 people
St. Simons, GA
16,026 people
Dublin, GA
16,023 people
Hayden, ID
16,021 people
Wolf Trap, VA
16,020 people
South Houston, TX
16,017 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lynden's $94,869 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

St. Stephen, MN
$94,875 median income
Buckner, AR
$94,861 median income
Lakeside CDP (San Diego County), CA
$94,877 median income
Piedmont, OK
$94,882 median income
Carlstadt, NJ
$94,854 median income
University Gardens, NY
$94,886 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lynden, 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 Lynden, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 77.6% 10.1% 8.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.9% White 77.6% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 2.1% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 10.1% Two or more races 8.9% 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 Lynden 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
Lynden (this city) 16,025 $94,869
Sunnyside 16,329 $53,350
Port Orchard 16,398 $81,472
Lake Stickney 15,514 $85,762
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lynden, WA?

What is the population of Lynden, WA? +

16,025 people live in Lynden, WA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Lynden households earn a median of $94,869 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lynden? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lynden; 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 Lynden, WA safe? +

Lynden has a total crime rate of 1309.1 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 Lynden, WA? +

A typical home in Lynden is worth $546,400, 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 Editorial

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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.