1st Advantage MortgageIn Snohomish County, Washington, the typical household earns $111,246 a year and the typical rent is $1,949. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Washington license first.
On this page
- Snohomish County, WA: the basics
- Renting and owning in Snohomish County
- How much Snohomish County households make
- The Snohomish County job picture
- Towns and communities in Snohomish County
- How Snohomish County compares with nearby counties
- Room for a loan payment in Snohomish County
- Snohomish County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Local borrowing considerations for Snohomish County
- Checklist for Snohomish County applicants
- Licensing and complaints for Snohomish County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Snohomish County, WA: the basics
Roughly 844,430 residents live in Snohomish County, Washington, 3rd by population among the state's 39 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 2,087 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 405 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area. Everett is the biggest of its 66 Census places, at roughly 111,845 people (13% of the county total).
Renting and owning in Snohomish County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,949 in Snohomish County versus $1,760 statewide. By the Census definition, 54% of Snohomish County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $696,000, a typical Snohomish County house costs 6.3 times what the median household earns in a year. 68% of Snohomish County households own their home and 32% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1990.
| Home costs | Snohomish County | Washington | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,949/mo | $1,760/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $696,000 | $564,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 68% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 30% | n/a |
High rent burdens leave little slack. If you are borrowing to consolidate, make sure the new payment is lower than the ones it replaces.
How much Snohomish County households make
Half of Snohomish County households take in less than $111,246 a year and half take in more, 13% above the Washington median of $98,141.
| Income band | Share in Snohomish County | Difference from Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 12.9% | -3.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 31.8% | -3.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 33.5% | +2.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 21.8% | +3.3 pts |
Some 13% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 55% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 8.0%, 2 points lower than the state's 9.9%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.433 (0 is perfect equality). For a borrower in Snohomish County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
The Snohomish County job picture
By the Census industry count, 20% of employed Snohomish County residents work in education and health care and 14% in professional and administrative services. Compared with Washington, the county leans toward manufacturing (13% against 9%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.5% in Snohomish County. 24% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 20% work from home. Households without a car make up 4.7% of the total (7.1% statewide).
| Sector | Snohomish County | Compared with Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 20.3% | -1.4 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 14.4% | -0.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13.3% | +4.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.0% | +0.4 pts |
| Construction | 8.7% | +1.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.6% | -0.6 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Towns and communities in Snohomish County
The table lists the 14 largest of 66 Census places in Snohomish County, by population. Together all 66 hold about 740,128 people, so roughly 12% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $204,583 at the median in Woodway, $66,488 in Darrington. Median rent ranges from $879 in Darrington to $3,152 in Mill Creek East. City guides exist for the linked Snohomish County places; everyone else in the county can use this page.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everett | city | 111,845 | $83,512 | $1,740 | 21 mi |
| Marysville | city | 73,002 | $103,974 | $1,997 | 18 mi |
| Edmonds | city | 42,735 | $122,449 | $1,903 | 32 mi |
| Lake Stevens | city | 40,253 | $122,336 | $2,224 | 16 mi |
| Lynnwood | city | 40,110 | $77,704 | $1,742 | 29 mi |
| Mill Creek East | CDP | 25,453 | $192,937 | $3,152 | 25 mi |
| Eastmont | CDP | 23,721 | $138,912 | $2,443 | 22 mi |
| North Lynnwood | CDP | 23,339 | $101,088 | $2,145 | 27 mi |
| Mountlake Terrace | city | 23,104 | $107,687 | $2,004 | 31 mi |
| Martha Lake | CDP | 22,634 | $124,494 | $2,185 | 26 mi |
| Silver Firs | CDP | 22,306 | $163,418 | $2,881 | 22 mi |
| Bothell West | CDP | 22,029 | $153,449 | $2,511 | 28 mi |
| Mukilteo | city | 21,323 | $132,861 | $2,166 | 27 mi |
| Arlington | city | 21,095 | $88,231 | $1,905 | 19 mi |
How Snohomish County compares with nearby counties
Distances run center to center, from Skagit County at 30 miles out to Chelan County at 55. 1 of the six report a higher median household income than Snohomish County; King County is highest at $124,746 and Whatcom County lowest at $81,784.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snohomish County | - | $111,246 | $1,949/mo | 68% |
| Skagit County, WA | 30 mi | $89,263 | $1,536/mo | 70% |
| King County, WA | 39 mi | $124,746 | $2,092/mo | 55% |
| Island County, WA | 42 mi | $90,551 | $1,662/mo | 75% |
| Kitsap County, WA | 50 mi | $104,158 | $1,822/mo | 70% |
| Whatcom County, WA | 55 mi | $81,784 | $1,555/mo | 64% |
| Chelan County, WA | 55 mi | $82,381 | $1,226/mo | 65% |
Room for a loan payment in Snohomish County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Snohomish County's medians:
- Start: $9,270 gross per month ($111,246 / 12)
- Median rent: $1,949, or 21 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,759 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Snohomish County residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 38% of adults over 25. 6.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Measure | Snohomish County | Washington statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 38.2% | 39.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 6.9% | 7.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.2% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.7% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 20.0% | 19.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.5% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Snohomish County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 18.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 24.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 11.1% |
| 60+ min | 12.7% |
Local borrowing considerations for Snohomish County
A few patterns in the Snohomish County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Long drives. With 24% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Snohomish County budgets.
- Strong incomes, long terms. 55% of Snohomish County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- Tight rental budgets. With 54% of Snohomish County renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
Checklist for Snohomish County applicants
A short checklist for Snohomish County borrowers:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Snohomish County-area credit union.
- Verify the Washington license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Licensing and complaints for Snohomish County
The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Washington license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. More on Washington: Washington personal loans.
Related local guides
City guides inside Snohomish County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Snohomish County earn?
The median is $111,246; 55% earn $100,000 or more and 13% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
Is Snohomish County expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,949 against $1,760 statewide, and 54% of renter households are cost-burdened.
What are the biggest places in Snohomish County?
By population: Everett, Marysville, Edmonds, Lake Stevens, Lynnwood. The county has 66 Census places in all.
Does living in Snohomish County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Snohomish County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Is there a Snohomish County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Washington it is the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.