What are the schools like in Three Lakes, WA?

Three Lakes is served primarily by Snohomish School District. The district operates 9 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 4 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 19.4:1.

What is the median household income in Three Lakes?

The median household income in Three Lakes, WA is $144,444 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 2.0%.

What is the weather like in Three Lakes, WA?

Three Lakes has an average high temperature of 44.0°F in January and 74.2°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 50.8 inches and annual snowfall averages 3.0 inches.

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

Q: Is Three Lakes, WA affordable or expensive?

Three Lakes's cost of living index is 113, where 100 represents the national average. This means Three Lakes is 13% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $725,500 and the median rent is $1,652 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Three Lakes, WA?

Three Lakes has a violent crime rate of 181.6 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1911.1 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Three Lakes, WA a Good Place to Live?

Three Lakes is a small town of 3,571 in Washington, with a median household income of $144,444 and a 2.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: Three Lakes stands out for solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population.

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

All Three Lakes 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

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

Metric	Three Lakes, WA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$725,500	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,652	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	95.8%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$144,444	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Three Lakes's violent crime rate is 181.6 per 100,000 residents — 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

181.6 /100k

Property Crime

1911.1 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Three Lakes is served primarily by Snohomish School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Three Lakes, WA	National Avg
School District	Snohomish School District	—
Elementary Schools	9	—
Middle Schools	2	—
High Schools	4	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	19.4:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	39.0%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	93.4%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Three Lakes sees average highs of 44.0°F in January and 74.2°F in July, with 50.8 inches of annual precipitation and 3.0 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Three Lakes, WA
Average High — January	44.0°F
Average High — July	74.2°F
Annual Precipitation	50.8"
Annual Snowfall	3.0"

Demographics

Metric	Three Lakes, WA	National Avg
Population	3,571	—
Median Age	46.1	38.9
Unemployment Rate	2.0%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	36.3 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	87.3%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2.5%	18.9%
Asian	1.7%	6.3%
Under 18	19.7%	22.2%
65 and over	18.9%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lake Roesiger, WA 4 mi Chain Lake, WA 4 mi Machias, WA 4 mi Cavalero, WA 5 mi Monroe North, WA 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Three Lakes

Three Lakes, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

98290

Three Lakes vs Other Cities

Three Lakes, WA vs Lake Roesiger, WA Three Lakes, WA vs Chain Lake, WA Three Lakes, WA vs Machias, WA Three Lakes, WA vs Cavalero, WA Three Lakes, WA vs Monroe North, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Three Lakes, WA affordable or expensive?

Three Lakes's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts Three Lakes roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $725,500 and median rent is $1,652/month.

What is the crime rate in Three Lakes, WA?

Three Lakes's violent crime rate is 181.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1911.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Three Lakes?

Public schools in Three Lakes are operated by Snohomish School District. The district has 9 elementary, 2 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.4:1. 39.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Three Lakes, WA a good place to live?

Three Lakes, WA has a population of 3,571, a median household income of $144,444, and an unemployment rate of 2.0%. 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 Three Lakes?

Three Lakes averages 44.0°F in January and 74.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 50.8 inches with about 3.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Three Lakes?

Three Lakes, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 98290.

What is the population of Three Lakes?

The population of Three Lakes, Washington is 3,571 with a median age of 46.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Three Lakes?

Key numbers for living in Three Lakes: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $725,500, median household income $144,444, crime index 65 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Three Lakes side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.