What are the schools like in Shadow Lake, WA?

School district data for Shadow Lake is sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

What is the median household income in Shadow Lake?

The median household income in Shadow Lake, WA is $104,286 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 7.2%.

What is the weather like in Shadow Lake, WA?

Shadow Lake has an average high temperature of 45.7°F in January and 77.0°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 43.2 inches and annual snowfall averages 6.3 inches.

Shadow Lake, WA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Shadow Lake, WA affordable or expensive?

Shadow Lake's cost of living index is 113, where 100 represents the national average. This means Shadow Lake is 13% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $702,200 and the median rent is $1,433 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Shadow Lake, WA?

Shadow Lake has a violent crime rate of 439.7 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 3561.5 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Shadow Lake, WA a Good Place to Live?

Shadow Lake is a small town of 2,115 in Washington, with a median household income of $104,286 and a 7.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: Shadow Lake's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Shadow Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Shadow 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: 113.0

Shadow Lake's overall cost of living index is 113.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Shadow Lake costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.

Metric	Shadow Lake, WA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$702,200	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,433	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	90.1%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$104,286	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Shadow Lake's violent crime rate is 439.7 per 100,000 residents — 16% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

439.7 /100k

Property Crime

3561.5 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric	Shadow Lake, WA	National Avg
School District	N/A	—
Elementary Schools	N/A	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	N/A	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	N/A	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	30.3%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	95.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Shadow Lake sees average highs of 45.7°F in January and 77.0°F in July, with 43.2 inches of annual precipitation and 6.3 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Shadow Lake, WA
Average High — January	45.7°F
Average High — July	77.0°F
Annual Precipitation	43.2"
Annual Snowfall	6.3"

Demographics

Metric	Shadow Lake, WA	National Avg
Population	2,115	—
Median Age	51.2	38.9
Unemployment Rate	7.2%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	43.0 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	79.1%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.7%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	5.6%	18.9%
Asian	5.5%	6.3%
Under 18	14.1%	22.2%
65 and over	23.7%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Maple Heights-Lake Desire, WA 2 mi Covington, WA 3 mi Maple Valley, WA 3 mi Hobart, WA 4 mi Fairwood CDP (King County), WA 4 mi

Shadow Lake vs Other Cities

Shadow Lake, WA vs Maple Heights-Lake Desire, WA Shadow Lake, WA vs Covington, WA Shadow Lake, WA vs Maple Valley, WA Shadow Lake, WA vs Hobart, WA Shadow Lake, WA vs Fairwood CDP (King County), WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shadow Lake, WA affordable or expensive?

Shadow Lake's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts Shadow Lake roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $702,200 and median rent is $1,433/month.

What is the crime rate in Shadow Lake, WA?

Shadow Lake's violent crime rate is 439.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3561.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Shadow Lake?

School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.

Is Shadow Lake, WA a good place to live?

Shadow Lake, WA has a population of 2,115, a median household income of $104,286, and an unemployment rate of 7.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Shadow Lake?

Shadow Lake averages 45.7°F in January and 77.0°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.2 inches with about 6.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What is the population of Shadow Lake?

The population of Shadow Lake, Washington is 2,115 with a median age of 51.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Shadow Lake?

Key numbers for living in Shadow Lake: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $702,200, median household income $104,286, crime index 137 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Shadow Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.