The Town FilesSultan, Washington
City in Snohomish County · population 5,146 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $526,100
- Household income
- $94,730
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 36.7
Sultan is a city of 5,146 people in Snohomish County, Washington. The median home is worth $526,100, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks hipper than 80% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 76% of Washington towns, easier by car than 75% of Washington towns.
How Sultan 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 Sultan is worth $526,100, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.6 times the median household income of $94,730, which is more affordable than 41% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,729 a month. 82.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sultan | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $526,100 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,729 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $94,730 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.6× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 82.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Sultan
| People | Sultan | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.2% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.0% | — |
| Work from home | 20.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 37.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.6% | 93.9% |
Weather in Sultan
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 34.0°F. About 68.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.0 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 53 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sultan since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on October 26, 1971 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 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 Sultan itself the ACS puts it at 1%.
Public schools in Sultan
6 public schools with 1,700 students, about 17.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sultan Elementary School | K-5 | 619 | 14.7 |
| Sultan Senior High School | 9-12 | 597 | 21.3 |
| Sultan Middle School | 6-8 | 417 | 18.1 |
| Sky Valley Options | 9-12 | 38 | 38.0 |
| Student Services School | PK-PK | 23 | 23.0 |
| Open Doors Youth Reengagement | 9-12 | 6 | — |
Towns near Sultan
- Woods Creek, WA4.6 mi · 6,017 people · home $822,800
- Monroe, WA8.4 mi · 19,699 people · home $668,400
- Chain Lake, WA8.7 mi · 4,806 people · home $873,000
- Three Lakes, WA10.0 mi · 3,941 people · home $842,800
- High Bridge, WA11.3 mi · 3,140 people · home $963,700
- Duvall, WA12.2 mi · 8,034 people · home $830,100
- Snohomish, WA14.0 mi · 10,126 people · home $683,900
- Cathcart, WA14.0 mi · 2,647 people · home $908,900
Sultan questions
Is Sultan, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sultan scores better for retirees than 41% of Washington towns and quieter than 53%. 12.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.7).
How much does a house cost in Sultan?
The median owner-occupied home in Sultan is valued at $526,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $94,730, so homes cost about 5.6 times income. Median rent is $1,729 a month.
What is the weather like in Sultan?
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 34.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 68.3 inches of precipitation a year and 3.0 inches of snow.
Does Sultan get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sultan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on October 26, 1971. 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)