Median Income
$66,218
household / year
Median Home Value
$245,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,088
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is Moses Lake, WA a Good Place to Live?

Moses Lake is a small city of 25,155 in Washington, with a median household income of $66,218 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Moses Lake stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Moses Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Moses Lake 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: 102.2

Moses Lake's overall cost of living index is 102.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Moses Lake costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric Moses Lake, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $245,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,088 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $66,218 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Higher than Average

Moses Lake's violent crime rate is 394.4 per 100,000 residents — 4% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
394.4 /100k
Property Crime
4236.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Moses Lake is served primarily by Moses Lake School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Moses Lake, WA National Avg
School District Moses Lake School District —
Elementary Schools 11 —
Middle Schools 3 —
High Schools 5 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 20.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 21.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 87.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Moses Lake sees average highs of 36.4°F in January and 89.7°F in July, with 7.8 inches of annual precipitation and 13.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricMoses Lake, WA
Average High — January36.4°F
Average High — July89.7°F
Annual Precipitation7.8"
Annual Snowfall13.9"

Demographics

MetricMoses Lake, WANational Avg
Population25,155—
Median Age31.138.9
Unemployment Rate5.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time18.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)64.1%59.3%
Black or African American3.2%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino28.3%18.9%
Asian1.0%6.3%
Under 1828.7%22.2%
65 and over11.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Cascade Valley, WA 3 mi Wheeler, WA 5 mi Moses Lake North, WA 5 mi Marine View, WA 12 mi Warden, WA 15 mi

ZIP Codes in Moses Lake

Moses Lake, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

98837

Moses Lake vs Other Cities

Moses Lake, WA vs Cascade Valley, WA Moses Lake, WA vs Wheeler, WA Moses Lake, WA vs Moses Lake North, WA Moses Lake, WA vs Marine View, WA Moses Lake, WA vs Warden, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Moses Lake's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Moses Lake roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $245,000 and median rent is $1,088/month.
Moses Lake's violent crime rate is 394.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 4236.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Moses Lake are operated by Moses Lake School District. The district has 11 elementary, 3 middle, and 5 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 20.7:1. 21.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Moses Lake, WA has a population of 25,155, a median household income of $66,218, and an unemployment rate of 5.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Moses Lake averages 36.4°F in January and 89.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 7.8 inches with about 13.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Moses Lake, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 98837.
The population of Moses Lake, Washington is 25,155 with a median age of 31.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Moses Lake: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $245,000, median household income $66,218, crime index 143 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Moses Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.