The Town FilesMaple Heights-Lake Desire, Washington
Community in King County · population 3,873 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $876,200
- Household income
- $143,148
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.7
Maple Heights-Lake Desire is a community of 3,873 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $876,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for families than 92% of Washington towns, more upscale than 87% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 70% of Washington towns.
How Maple Heights-Lake Desire 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 Maple Heights-Lake Desire is worth $876,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $143,148, which is more affordable than 28% of Washington towns. Median rent is $3,130 a month. 90.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Maple Heights-Lake Desire | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $876,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $3,130 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $143,148 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 90.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Maple Heights-Lake Desire
| People | Maple Heights-Lake Desire | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 17.0% | — |
| Work from home | 26.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Maple Heights-Lake Desire
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows 37.1°F. About 34.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 14.1 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 30 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maple Heights-Lake Desire since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 28, 1962 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 1964.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 8, 1972.
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 Maple Heights-Lake Desire itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Towns near Maple Heights-Lake Desire
- Fairwood, WA2.4 mi · 19,396 people · home $733,200
- East Renton Highlands, WA2.6 mi · 11,937 people · home $778,700
- Hobart, WA4.5 mi · 6,767 people · home $950,300
- Covington, WA5.0 mi · 20,777 people · home $637,300
- Mirrormont, WA5.1 mi · 3,858 people · home $973,900
- Maple Valley, WA5.5 mi · 28,013 people · home $724,700
- Renton, WA5.6 mi · 106,785 people · home $672,600
- Kent, WA6.5 mi · 136,588 people · home $587,800
Maple Heights-Lake Desire questions
Is Maple Heights-Lake Desire, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Maple Heights-Lake Desire scores better for retirees than 62% of Washington towns and quieter than 66%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.7).
How much does a house cost in Maple Heights-Lake Desire?
The median owner-occupied home in Maple Heights-Lake Desire is valued at $876,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $143,148, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $3,130 a month.
What is the weather like in Maple Heights-Lake Desire?
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows 37.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.7 inches of precipitation a year and 14.1 inches of snow.
Does Maple Heights-Lake Desire get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Maple Heights-Lake Desire since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 28, 1962. 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)