The Town FilesPrairie Heights, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 4,561 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $500,200
- Household income
- $130,640
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 41.1
Prairie Heights is a community of 4,561 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $500,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for families than 80% of Washington towns, easier by car than 77% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 75% of Washington towns.
How Prairie Heights 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 Prairie Heights is worth $500,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $130,640, which is more affordable than 91% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,828 a month. 96.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prairie Heights | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $500,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,828 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $130,640 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 96.1% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Prairie Heights
| People | Prairie Heights | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.3% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Prairie Heights
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 33.9°F. About 48.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.3 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie Heights since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 6, 2009 about 3.1 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 Prairie Heights itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Towns near Prairie Heights
- Prairie Ridge, WA1.5 mi · 12,288 people · home $462,000
- Tehaleh, WA4.0 mi · 5,784 people · home $741,700
- Buckley, WA4.3 mi · 5,114 people · home $574,100
- Bonney Lake, WA4.3 mi · 22,487 people · home $607,900
- Alderton, WA5.6 mi · 3,274 people · home $431,500
- Orting, WA6.0 mi · 9,041 people · home $493,100
- Lake Tapps, WA6.3 mi · 12,962 people · home $742,400
- Enumclaw, WA6.7 mi · 12,543 people · home $524,600
Prairie Heights questions
Is Prairie Heights, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prairie Heights scores better for retirees than 3% of Washington towns and quieter than 41%. 11.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.1).
How much does a house cost in Prairie Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Prairie Heights is valued at $500,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $130,640, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,828 a month.
What is the weather like in Prairie Heights?
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows 33.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.3 inches of precipitation a year and 4.3 inches of snow.
Does Prairie Heights get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prairie Heights 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)