The Town FilesSumner, Washington
City in Pierce County · population 10,621 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $519,900
- Household income
- $98,191
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 37.6
Sumner is a city of 10,621 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $519,900, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better transit than 98% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 96% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 89% of Washington towns.
How Sumner 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 Sumner is worth $519,900, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $98,191, which is more affordable than 52% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,974 a month. 54.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Sumner | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $519,900 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,974 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $98,191 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 54.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Sumner
| People | Sumner | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 9.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.2% | — |
| Work from home | 12.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.6% | 93.9% |
Weather in Sumner
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
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sumner since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 6, 2009 about 5.2 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 Sumner itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Sumner
6 public schools with 4,247 students, about 21.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner High School | 9-12 | 1,866 | 23.3 |
| Sumner Middle School | 6-8 | 697 | 19.9 |
| Maple Lawn Elementary | PK-5 | 603 | 19.5 |
| Daffodil Valley Elementary | PK-5 | 521 | 20.8 |
| Liberty Ridge Elementary | PK-5 | 508 | 16.9 |
| Sumner Special Services | PK-PK | 52 | — |
Towns near Sumner
- Edgewood, WA2.3 mi · 12,327 people · home $712,000
- Pacific, WA2.5 mi · 7,235 people · home $489,100
- Lake Tapps, WA3.1 mi · 12,962 people · home $742,400
- Alderton, WA3.6 mi · 3,274 people · home $431,500
- Algona, WA3.8 mi · 3,290 people · home $441,500
- Bonney Lake, WA3.9 mi · 22,487 people · home $607,900
- Lakeland South, WA4.1 mi · 13,169 people · home $589,300
- Milton, WA4.2 mi · 8,697 people · home $539,700
Sumner questions
Is Sumner, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Sumner scores better for retirees than 20% of Washington towns and quieter than 18%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.6).
How much does a house cost in Sumner?
The median owner-occupied home in Sumner is valued at $519,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,191, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,974 a month.
What is the weather like in Sumner?
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 Sumner get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Sumner 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)