The Town FilesLake Stevens, Washington
City in Snohomish County · population 35,630 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $635,600
- Household income
- $122,336
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 34.7
Lake Stevens is a city of 35,630 people in Snohomish County, Washington. The median home is worth $635,600, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more of a college town than 90% of Washington towns, more walkable than 86% of Washington towns, better for families than 82% of Washington towns.
How Lake Stevens 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 Lake Stevens is worth $635,600, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $122,336, which is more affordable than 55% of Washington towns. Median rent is $2,224 a month. 75.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Stevens | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $635,600 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,224 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $122,336 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 75.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Lake Stevens
| People | Lake Stevens | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 34.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 29.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 13.1% | — |
| Work from home | 21.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 35.2 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Lake Stevens
July highs average 74.8°F and January lows 34.6°F. About 40.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.6 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 51 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Stevens since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on November 24, 1970 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 24, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on April 15, 2006.
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 Lake Stevens itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Lake Stevens
16 public schools with 9,788 students, about 19.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Stevens Sr High School | 10-12 | 2,187 | 24.6 |
| Cavelero Mid High School | 8-9 | 1,455 | 20.2 |
| North Lake Middle School | 6-7 | 811 | 20.3 |
| Hillcrest Elementary School | PK-5 | 778 | 18.5 |
| Lake Stevens Middle School | 6-7 | 710 | 18.7 |
| Sunnycrest Elementary School | PK-5 | 657 | 18.3 |
| Glenwood Elementary | K-5 | 650 | 18.1 |
| Stevens Creek Elementary | K-5 | 630 | 18.0 |
| Highland Elementary | PK-5 | 564 | 17.1 |
| Skyline Elementary | PK-5 | 552 | 15.8 |
| Mt. Pilchuck Elementary School | K-5 | 525 | 16.9 |
| Early Learning Center | PK-PK | 267 | 38.1 |
Towns near Lake Stevens
- Cavalero, WA2.2 mi · 5,232 people · home $656,000
- Bunk Foss, WA2.9 mi · 3,680 people · home $831,000
- Lake Cassidy, WA4.4 mi · 3,757 people · home $705,000
- Lochsloy, WA4.7 mi · 2,806 people · home $610,200
- Fobes Hill, WA4.8 mi · 2,628 people · home $827,900
- Everett, WA5.0 mi · 110,629 people · home $565,300
- Snohomish, WA5.2 mi · 10,126 people · home $683,900
- Marysville, WA5.9 mi · 70,714 people · home $567,900
Lake Stevens questions
Is Lake Stevens, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Stevens scores better for retirees than 21% of Washington towns and quieter than 16%. 8.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 34.7).
How much does a house cost in Lake Stevens?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Stevens is valued at $635,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $122,336, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $2,224 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Stevens?
July highs average 74.8°F and January lows 34.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.2 inches of precipitation a year and 3.6 inches of snow.
Does Lake Stevens get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Stevens since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on November 24, 1970. 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)