What are the schools like in Soap Lake, WA?

Soap Lake is served primarily by Soap Lake School District. The district operates 1 elementary schools, several middle schools, and 2 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 19.1:1.

What is the median household income in Soap Lake?

The median household income in Soap Lake, WA is $43,009 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 9.3%.

What is the weather like in Soap Lake, WA?

Soap Lake has an average high temperature of 35.6°F in January and 89.3°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 7.6 inches and annual snowfall averages 13.9 inches.

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

Q: Is Soap Lake, WA affordable or expensive?

Soap Lake's cost of living index is 95, where 100 represents the national average. This means Soap Lake is 5% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $138,900 and the median rent is $665 per month.

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

Soap Lake has a violent crime rate of 341.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2785.7 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Soap Lake, WA a Good Place to Live?

Soap Lake is a small town of 1,378 in Washington, with a median household income of $43,009 and a 9.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.

Strengths: Soap Lake stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Soap Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Soap 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: 95.4

Soap Lake's overall cost of living index is 95.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Soap Lake costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.

Metric	Soap Lake, WA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$138,900	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$665	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	65.2%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$43,009	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Soap Lake's violent crime rate is 341.1 per 100,000 residents — 10% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

341.1 /100k

Property Crime

2785.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Soap Lake is served primarily by Soap Lake School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Soap Lake, WA	National Avg
School District	Soap Lake School District	—
Elementary Schools	1	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	2	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	19.1:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	7.0%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	77.8%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Soap Lake sees average highs of 35.6°F in January and 89.3°F in July, with 7.6 inches of annual precipitation and 13.9 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Soap Lake, WA
Average High — January	35.6°F
Average High — July	89.3°F
Annual Precipitation	7.6"
Annual Snowfall	13.9"

Demographics

Metric	Soap Lake, WA	National Avg
Population	1,378	—
Median Age	37.8	38.9
Unemployment Rate	9.3%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	21.9 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	68.5%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	24.1%	18.9%
Asian	0.6%	6.3%
Under 18	22.1%	22.2%
65 and over	23.4%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lakeview, WA 1 mi Ephrata, WA 6 mi Moses Lake North, WA 16 mi Wilson Creek, WA 17 mi Coulee City, WA 18 mi

ZIP Codes in Soap Lake

Soap Lake, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

98851

Soap Lake vs Other Cities

Soap Lake, WA vs Lakeview, WA Soap Lake, WA vs Ephrata, WA Soap Lake, WA vs Moses Lake North, WA Soap Lake, WA vs Wilson Creek, WA Soap Lake, WA vs Coulee City, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Soap Lake, WA affordable or expensive?

Soap Lake's cost of living index is 95, where 100 is the national average. That makes Soap Lake roughly 5% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $138,900 and median rent is $665/month.

What is the crime rate in Soap Lake, WA?

Soap Lake's violent crime rate is 341.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2785.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Soap Lake?

Public schools in Soap Lake are operated by Soap Lake School District. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.1:1. 7.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Soap Lake, WA a good place to live?

Soap Lake, WA has a population of 1,378, a median household income of $43,009, and an unemployment rate of 9.3%. 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 Soap Lake?

Soap Lake averages 35.6°F in January and 89.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 7.6 inches with about 13.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Soap Lake?

Soap Lake, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 98851.

What is the population of Soap Lake?

The population of Soap Lake, Washington is 1,378 with a median age of 37.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

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

Key numbers for living in Soap Lake: cost of living index 95 (100 = US average), median home $138,900, median household income $43,009, crime index 107 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Soap Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.