City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Mountlake Terrace, WA

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

21,419
Residents
$101,404
Median income
$606,100
Median home
$2,031
Median rent (state)

Mountlake Terrace - the verdict

Nationally, Mountlake Terrace sits in the 79th percentile for household income and the 24th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

79th
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
24th
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: Mountlake Terrace, WA

Washington's Mountlake Terrace is a small city, with 21,419 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Mountlake Terrace brings in $101,404 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 4.5%. Typical homes in Mountlake Terrace are valued around $606,100, and the median resident age is 38.2 years. 41.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 21 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 30% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2384.8 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than 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). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,031 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Commute times here average 24.0 minutes, with 61.9% driving alone and 22.6% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 92.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

21,419 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$101,404 /yr

Poverty 4.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Mountlake Terrace compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 79% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities
Safety 24% 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, Mountlake Terrace ranks #95 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 Mountlake Terrace'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.

79thIncome percentile
24thSafety percentile

79th percentile nationally for median household income · 24th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Mountlake Terrace's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Mountlake Terrace'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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Mountlake Terrace'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 Mountlake Terrace's home value compares nationally

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

$606,100 11th percentile more affordable than 11% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Mountlake Terrace $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 - Mountlake Terrace, WA Mountlake Terrace, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Mountlake Terrace, 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 Mountlake Terrace, WA median $101,404/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%
Mountlake Terrace, 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 Mountlake Terrace, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.5%

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

Population
21,419
Median Income
$101,404
Median Home Value
$606,100
Median Age
38.2
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Labor force participation
64.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2384.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
194.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2190.3
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
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,000 residents22,000 residents24,000 residents26,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 21,284 residents 25,430 residents ▲ +19.5%
Mountlake Terrace's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
21
housing units authorized
Single-Family
21
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 30
2020 193
2021 127
2022 35
2023 52
2024 21

Permit volume decreased 30% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.0 minutes
Drive Alone
61.9%
Carpool
8.7%
Public Transit
4.2%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
22.6%
Other
1.7%

Based on 11,506 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 Mountlake Terrace sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,031/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Five Corners
21,444 people
Tukwila
21,479 people
Mukilteo
21,312 people
Battle Ground
21,293 people
Silverdale
21,046 people
Silver Firs
21,796 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Mountlake Terrace's 21,419 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mount Pleasant, MI
21,420 people
Ashland, KY
21,405 people
New Hope, MN
21,402 people
Secaucus, NJ
21,437 people
Helena, AL
21,452 people
Granite Bay, CA
21,378 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Mountlake Terrace's $101,404 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Upland, CA
$101,407 median income
Englewood, NJ
$101,398 median income
Golden Triangle, NJ
$101,411 median income
Hampden, ME
$101,417 median income
Uintah, UT
$101,417 median income
Spotswood, NJ
$101,388 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Mountlake Terrace, 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 Mountlake Terrace, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 62.9% 10.3% 10.7% 11.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.2% White 62.9% Black or African American 3.6% Asian 10.3% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 10.7% Two or more races 11.0% 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 Mountlake Terrace 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
Mountlake Terrace (this city) 21,419 $101,404
Five Corners 21,444 $102,423
Tukwila 21,479 $80,534
Mukilteo 21,312 $122,612
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Mountlake Terrace, WA?

What is the population of Mountlake Terrace, WA? +

21,419 people live in Mountlake Terrace, WA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Mountlake Terrace, WA? +

In Mountlake Terrace, the typical household earns $101,404 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Mountlake Terrace? +

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

Mountlake Terrace has a total crime rate of 2384.8 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Mountlake Terrace, WA? +

Homes in Mountlake Terrace carry a median value of $606,100, 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.