Mount Vernon, WA
Census place 5347560 · pop 35,377
The hub of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, drawing huge crowds to its surrounding bloom-covered fields each spring.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
5.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
14.2% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$472,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
16.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,986/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+1.0% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
60.3% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
27.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
17.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
89/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$75,777 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
34.6% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.90% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.4% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
22.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
26 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Mount Vernon: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Mount Vernon, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Mount Vernon scores 44/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is unemployment rate. Washington overall ranks #24 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Mount Vernon, WA expensive to live in?
- Mount Vernon has a median home value of $472,300 and typical rent around $1,986/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Mount Vernon, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (5.1%) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Mount Vernon, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (26 AQI) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: The hub of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, drawing huge crowds to its surrounding bloom-covered fields each spring.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.