City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Shoreline, WA

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

59,280
Residents
$113,336
Median income
$759,400
Median home
$2,031
Median rent (state)

Shoreline - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Shoreline lands in the 85th percentile for household income and the 19th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

85th
percentile, household income
94th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
19th
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: Shoreline, WA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 59,280 residents in Shoreline, a small city within Washington. The typical household in Shoreline brings in $113,336 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Shoreline's housing stock carries a median value of $759,400, and the median resident age is 42.1 years. 52.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 63.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 324 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 44% from five years earlier. Shoreline's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2744.5 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as 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 $2,031 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 21.5 minutes, with 59.1% 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

59,280 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$113,336 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Shoreline compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 85% higher than other cities
Home value 94% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities
Safety 19% 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, Shoreline ranks #104 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

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

Washington-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Shoreline's strongest outlier among Washington cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Shoreline ranks #59 - the 90th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Shoreline only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#133 of 565
76th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#80 of 599
75th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#62 of 565
89th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#294 of 598
51st percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#59 of 599
90th 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.

85thIncome percentile
19thSafety percentile

85th percentile nationally for median household income · 19th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Shoreline's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Shoreline'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 38 Avg. percentile National median
Shoreline'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 Shoreline's home value compares nationally

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

$759,400 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Shoreline $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 - Shoreline, WA Shoreline, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Shoreline, 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 Shoreline, WA median $113,336/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%
Shoreline, 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 Shoreline, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 52.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 63.1%

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

Population
59,280
Median Income
$113,336
Median Home Value
$759,400
Median Age
42.1
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
63.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
52.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2744.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
212.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2532.4
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
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
55,000 residents60,000 residents65,000 residents70,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 58,691 residents 66,542 residents ▲ +13.4%
Shoreline's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
324
housing units authorized
Single-Family
25
detached homes
Multifamily
299
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 575
2020 182
2021 983
2022 1,121
2023 1,428
2024 324

Permit volume decreased 44% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
21.5 minutes
Drive Alone
59.1%
Carpool
7.8%
Public Transit
7.0%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
22.6%
Other
1.6%

Based on 30,699 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 Shoreline 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

Lacey
57,088 people
Richland
61,912 people
Olympia
55,583 people
Lakewood
63,034 people
Sammamish
66,375 people
Burien
51,331 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Shoreline's 59,280 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dubuque, IA
59,271 people
Petaluma, CA
59,321 people
Kokomo, IN
59,375 people
Hanford, CA
59,389 people
Des Plaines, IL
59,408 people
Blue Springs, MO
59,416 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Shoreline's $113,336 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Fetter, PA
$113,333 median income
Potosi, TX
$113,340 median income
South Floral Park, NY
$113,362 median income
Summerlin South, NV
$113,301 median income
Cobb, CA
$113,375 median income
Marietta, IN
$113,295 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Shoreline, 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 Shoreline, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 64.9% 6.2% 14.9% 9.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.1% White 64.9% Black or African American 6.2% Asian 14.9% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 3.7% Two or more races 9.7% 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 Shoreline 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
Shoreline (this city) 59,280 $113,336
Lacey 57,088 $87,277
Richland 61,912 $92,550
Olympia 55,583 $76,930
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Shoreline, WA?

What is the population of Shoreline, WA? +

The population of Shoreline, WA stands at 59,280 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Shoreline, the typical household earns $113,336 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Shoreline? +

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

Shoreline has a total crime rate of 2744.5 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 Shoreline, WA? +

A typical home in Shoreline is worth $759,400, 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

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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.