Is Mercer Island, WA a Good Place to Live?
Mercer Island is a small city of 25,464 in Washington, with a median household income of $190,985 and a 2.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.
Strengths: Mercer Island stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether Mercer Island is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Mercer Island city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 113.0Mercer Island's overall cost of living index is 113.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Mercer Island costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Mercer Island, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,683,600 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,315 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 68.0% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $190,985 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeMercer Island's violent crime rate is 36.9 per 100,000 residents — 90% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Mercer Island is served primarily by Mercer Island School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Mercer Island, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Mercer Island School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 4 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 18.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 77.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 97.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Mercer Island sees average highs of 48.6°F in January and 77.3°F in July, with 38.5 inches of annual precipitation and 3.8 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Mercer Island, WA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 48.6°F |
| Average High — July | 77.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" |
Demographics
| Metric | Mercer Island, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,464 | — |
| Median Age | 45.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 27.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.3% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.3% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 22.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Mercer Island
Mercer Island, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: