The Town FilesChain Lake, Washington
Community in Snohomish County · population 4,806 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $873,000
- Household income
- $161,286
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 43.3
Chain Lake is a community of 4,806 people in Snohomish County, Washington. The median home is worth $873,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for families than 91% of Washington towns, better transit than 87% of Washington towns, more upscale than 85% of Washington towns.
How Chain Lake ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chain Lake is worth $873,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $161,286, which is more affordable than 47% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,755 a month. 88.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chain Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $873,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,755 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $161,286 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 88.8% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Chain Lake
| People | Chain Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.7% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.2% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.4% | — |
| Work from home | 28.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 38.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Chain Lake
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 32.1°F. About 50.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.0 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 60 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chain Lake since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 26, 1971 about 5.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 24, 1997.
Severe weather in Snohomish County since 1996
Snohomish County has been included in 37 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4682: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 8, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4593: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Snohomish County
Snohomish County had 297,617 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,940 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Chain Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Towns near Chain Lake
- Monroe, WA2.9 mi · 19,699 people · home $668,400
- Three Lakes, WA3.7 mi · 3,941 people · home $842,800
- Woods Creek, WA4.3 mi · 6,017 people · home $822,800
- Snohomish, WA5.2 mi · 10,126 people · home $683,900
- Bunk Foss, WA6.4 mi · 3,680 people · home $831,000
- Cathcart, WA6.5 mi · 2,647 people · home $908,900
- Cavalero, WA6.5 mi · 5,232 people · home $656,000
- Fobes Hill, WA7.3 mi · 2,628 people · home $827,900
Chain Lake questions
Is Chain Lake, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chain Lake scores better for retirees than 61% of Washington towns and quieter than 74%. 17.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.3).
How much does a house cost in Chain Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Chain Lake is valued at $873,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $161,286, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $1,755 a month.
What is the weather like in Chain Lake?
July highs average 74.2°F and January lows 32.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.8 inches of precipitation a year and 3.0 inches of snow.
Does Chain Lake get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Chain Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 26, 1971. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)