Places › Washington › Mount Vernon

Living in Mount Vernon, WA

Small city in Washington

Mount Vernon is a small city in Washington, home to about 35,000 people, with 429,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Mount Vernon a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 72°F
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby
  • Strong healthcare: 4 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.4× the US rate (FBI 2019)

👎 Cons

  • Cloudier than most places
  • Fewer graduates: 26% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Smaller job market: about 429,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Mount Vernon ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
35,000
429,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
48°F / 72°F
Average daily highs · 6″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$576k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,390/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
102
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$70
State income tax per resident · 0.9% property tax
Safety
0.4× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
15 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
4
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Below average
Tests below US average · 17 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
26%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
SEA
67 mi away

Living in Mount Vernon: common questions

What is the cost of living in Mount Vernon?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $576k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,390 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 102, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Mount Vernon?

Washington collects about $70 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.9% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Mount Vernon safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.4× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in Mount Vernon?

Public schools in Mount Vernon test below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 17 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in Mount Vernon?

Mount Vernon has cool winters: winter days average around 48°F and summer days around 72°F, with roughly 6″ of snow a year.

Does Mount Vernon get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.15 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Mount Vernon?

The nearest major airport is SEA, about 67 mi away.

How Mount Vernon scores

Each bar compares Mount Vernon with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundSome transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingExpensive Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceRelaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunitySome community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingAverage
💸Low taxesGood
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareExcellent
🏫SchoolsBelow average
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyAverage
🐕Dog-friendlyGood
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureBelow average
👮SafetyVery safe
🌪️Few natural disastersAverage
☀️SunnyPoor
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like Mount Vernon

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Tumwater, WASmall city56 $504k$2,610/moSafe Albany, ORSmall city53 $421k$2,030/moVery safe McMinnville, ORSmall city53 $460k$2,620/moVery safe Marysville, WASmall city57 $586k$3,270/moVery safe Longview, WASmall city47 $394k$2,020/moSafe Lacey, WASmall city60 $479k$2,610/moSafe

Nearby

Bellingham, WASmall city · 24 mi away55 $674k$2,500/moSafe Marysville, WASmall city · 24 mi away57 $586k$3,270/moVery safe Lake Stevens, WASuburb · 30 mi away67 $630k$3,270/moVery safe Everett, WASuburb · 32 mi away58 $628k$3,270/moSafe Lynnwood, WASuburb · 41 mi away65 $701k$3,270/moSafe Edmonds, WASuburb · 42 mi away72 $841k$3,270/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Washington.

Is Mount Vernon right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.