The Town FilesCarnation, Washington
City in King County · population 2,158 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $875,000
- Household income
- $152,763
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 36.8
Carnation is a city of 2,158 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $875,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for families than 97% of Washington towns, more upscale than 91% of Washington towns, quieter than 80% of Washington towns.
How Carnation ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Carnation is worth $875,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $152,763, which is more affordable than 38% of Washington towns. Median rent is $2,175 a month. 81.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carnation | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $875,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,175 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $152,763 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 81.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Carnation
| People | Carnation | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.8 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 28.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.0% | — |
| Work from home | 27.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Carnation
July highs average 75.8°F and January lows 35.8°F. About 63.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.6 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 54 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Carnation since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 18, 1964 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 1964.
Severe weather in King County since 1996
King County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in King County
King County had 1,449,785 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $132,279 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Carnation itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Carnation
6 public schools with 1,647 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tolt Middle School | 6-8 | 607 | 18.4 |
| Stillwater Elementary | K-5 | 522 | 18.0 |
| Carnation Elementary School | PK-5 | 376 | 14.5 |
| PARADE | PK-12 | 92 | 23.0 |
| CLIP | 9-12 | 50 | 16.7 |
| Choice | 7-10 | — | — |
Towns near Carnation
- Ames Lake, WA2.9 mi · 1,524 people · home $1,225,000
- Lake Marcel-Stillwater, WA3.6 mi · 1,334 people · home $847,500
- Fall City, WA5.2 mi · 2,032 people · home $1,010,300
- Union Hill-Novelty Hill, WA6.3 mi · 22,683 people · home $1,218,500
- Snoqualmie, WA7.1 mi · 14,121 people · home $977,200
- Duvall, WA7.1 mi · 8,034 people · home $830,100
- Sammamish, WA7.3 mi · 67,455 people · home $1,407,300
- Issaquah, WA9.8 mi · 40,051 people · home $963,000
Carnation questions
Is Carnation, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carnation scores better for retirees than 60% of Washington towns and quieter than 80%. 8.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.8).
How much does a house cost in Carnation?
The median owner-occupied home in Carnation is valued at $875,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $152,763, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $2,175 a month.
What is the weather like in Carnation?
July highs average 75.8°F and January lows 35.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 63.3 inches of precipitation a year and 3.6 inches of snow.
Does Carnation get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Carnation since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 18, 1964. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)