Is Mount Vernon, WA a Good Place to Live?
Mount Vernon is a small city of 35,120 in Washington, with a median household income of $69,227 and a 6.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.
Strengths: Mount Vernon stands out for lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Mount Vernon is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Mount Vernon 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: 106.0Mount Vernon's overall cost of living index is 106.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Mount Vernon costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Mount Vernon, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $385,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,185 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.7% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $69,227 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Safer than AverageMount Vernon's violent crime rate is 190.1 per 100,000 residents — 50% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Mount Vernon is served primarily by Mount Vernon School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.8:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Mount Vernon, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Mount Vernon School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 6 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 3 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 16.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 87.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Mount Vernon sees average highs of 47.1°F in January and 73.3°F in July, with 34.9 inches of annual precipitation and 5.7 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Mount Vernon, WA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 47.1°F |
| Average High — July | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 34.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.7" |
Demographics
| Metric | Mount Vernon, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,120 | — |
| Median Age | 35.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 23.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.6% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.4% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 3.2% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 17.9% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: