City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Milton, WA

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

8,747
Residents
$89,804
Median income
$511,000
Median home
$1,971
Median rent (state)

Milton - the verdict

Milton ranks in the 71st percentile for household income and the 16th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

71st
percentile, household income
85th
percentile, home value
82nd
percentile, median rent
16th
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: Milton, WA

Milton is a small town in Washington, home to 8,747 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Milton brings in $89,804 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.6%. Typical homes in Milton are valued around $511,000, and the median resident age is 38.1 years. 22.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 65.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 9 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 25% from five years earlier. Milton's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3015.0 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,971 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

8,747 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$89,804 /yr

Poverty 8.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Milton compare to other US cities?

Here's how Milton stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 85% pricier than other cities
Median rent 82% pricier than other cities
Safety 16% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Washington alone, Milton ranks #111 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Milton'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.

71stIncome percentile
16thSafety percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income · 16th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Milton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Milton'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 35 Avg. percentile National median
Milton'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 Milton's home value compares nationally

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

$511,000 15th percentile more affordable than 15% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Milton $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 - Milton, WA Milton, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Milton, 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 Milton, WA median $89,804/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%
Milton, 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 Milton, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.0%

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

Population
8,747
Median Income
$89,804
Median Home Value
$511,000
Median Age
38.1
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Labor force participation
65.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3015.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
391.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2623.7
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
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
8,750 residents8,800 residents8,850 residents8,900 residents8,950 residents 202020212022202320242025 8,786 residents 8,911 residents ▲ +1.4%
Milton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
9
housing units authorized
Single-Family
9
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 12
2020 133
2021 8
2022 3
2023 55
2024 9

Permit volume decreased 25% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.5%
Carpool
9.6%
Public Transit
2.0%
Walk
1.2%
Work from Home
8.5%
Other
1.2%

Based on 4,139 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 Milton sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,971/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Toppenish
8,746 people
Hoquiam
8,792 people
Othello
8,699 people
Midland
8,676 people
Summit
8,885 people
Orting
8,957 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Milton's 8,747 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Altoona, WI
8,750 people
Mascoutah, IL
8,743 people
Coffeyville, KS
8,752 people
Temple Hills, MD
8,740 people
Lancaster, SC
8,738 people
Franklin, NH
8,757 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Milton's $89,804 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oneida Castle, NY
$89,792 median income
Woodlawn Park, OK
$89,792 median income
Turbotville, PA
$89,792 median income
Duncan Falls, OH
$89,821 median income
St. Peters, MO
$89,827 median income
Walworth, NY
$89,844 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Milton, 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 Milton, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.2% 7.2% 10.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.0% White 75.2% Black or African American 2.3% Asian 7.2% American Indian 1.0% Native Hawaiian 1.3% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 10.6% 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 Milton 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
Milton (this city) 8,747 $89,804
Toppenish 8,746 $67,766
Hoquiam 8,792 $51,754
Othello 8,699 $65,757
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Milton, WA?

What is the population of Milton, WA? +

8,747 people live in Milton, WA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Milton runs $89,804, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Milton? +

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

Milton has a total crime rate of 3015.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Milton, WA? +

The median home value in Milton is $511,000, 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.