The Town FilesCottage Lake, Washington
Community in King County · population 22,857 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $1,230,700
- Household income
- $213,106
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 74°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 44.2
Cottage Lake is a community of 22,857 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $1,230,700, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for families than 99% of Washington towns, more upscale than 98% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 76% of Washington towns.
How Cottage 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 Cottage Lake is worth $1,230,700, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $213,106, which is more affordable than 36% of Washington towns. Median rent is $2,740 a month. 91.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cottage Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,230,700 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,740 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $213,106 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 91.1% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Cottage Lake
| People | Cottage Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.2 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.8% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.1% | — |
| Work from home | 33.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Cottage 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
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Cottage Lake since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on March 10, 2006.
Severe weather in King County since 1996
King County has been included in 35 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 |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in King County
King County had 1,449,785 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $132,279 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Cottage Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.1%.
Towns near Cottage Lake
- Woodinville, WA3.4 mi · 13,069 people · home $1,100,100
- Maltby, WA4.1 mi · 11,277 people · home $1,002,100
- High Bridge, WA4.4 mi · 3,140 people · home $963,700
- Duvall, WA4.9 mi · 8,034 people · home $830,100
- Redmond, WA5.1 mi · 73,256 people · home $1,167,800
- Union Hill-Novelty Hill, WA5.1 mi · 22,683 people · home $1,218,500
- Bothell, WA6.2 mi · 48,161 people · home $925,100
- Bothell East, WA6.5 mi · 13,970 people · home $1,131,600
Cottage Lake questions
Is Cottage Lake, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cottage Lake scores better for retirees than 70% of Washington towns and quieter than 51%. 18.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.2).
How much does a house cost in Cottage Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Cottage Lake is valued at $1,230,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $213,106, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $2,740 a month.
What is the weather like in Cottage 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 Cottage Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Cottage Lake in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)