The Town FilesLake Tapps, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 12,962 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $742,400
- Household income
- $148,005
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 42.2
Lake Tapps is a community of 12,962 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $742,400, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for families than 90% of Washington towns, better transit than 82% of Washington towns, more upscale than 79% of Washington towns.
How Lake Tapps 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 Tapps is worth $742,400, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $148,005, which is more affordable than 61% of Washington towns. Median rent is $2,091 a month. 89.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Tapps | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $742,400 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,091 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $148,005 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 89.2% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1986 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.4% | — |
Who lives in Lake Tapps
| People | Lake Tapps | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.2 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 24.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 18.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 36.5 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Lake Tapps
July highs average 75.7°F and January lows 33.3°F. About 45.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.6 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 3 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 Lake Tapps since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 6, 2009 about 3.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 6, 2009.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 26 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 |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 333,492 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,395 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Lake Tapps itself the ACS puts it at 1.8%.
Public schools in Lake Tapps
3 public schools with 1,439 students, about 17.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Tapps Middle School | 6-8 | 509 | 21.2 |
| Dieringer Heights Elementary | PK-5 | 480 | 17.1 |
| Lake Tapps Elementary | 1-3 | 450 | 14.1 |
Towns near Lake Tapps
- Bonney Lake, WA2.2 mi · 22,487 people · home $607,900
- Sumner, WA3.1 mi · 10,621 people · home $519,900
- Pacific, WA4.4 mi · 7,235 people · home $489,100
- Alderton, WA4.5 mi · 3,274 people · home $431,500
- Algona, WA5.1 mi · 3,290 people · home $441,500
- Edgewood, WA5.4 mi · 12,327 people · home $712,000
- Auburn, WA5.4 mi · 87,256 people · home $547,900
- Lake Holm, WA5.6 mi · 3,430 people · home $828,600
Lake Tapps questions
Is Lake Tapps, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Tapps scores better for retirees than 27% of Washington towns and quieter than 49%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.2).
How much does a house cost in Lake Tapps?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Tapps is valued at $742,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $148,005, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $2,091 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Tapps?
July highs average 75.7°F and January lows 33.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.1 inches of precipitation a year and 5.6 inches of snow.
Does Lake Tapps get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Tapps since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 6, 2009. 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)