The Town FilesClear Lake, Washington
Community in Skagit County · population 1,228 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $550,500
- Household income
- $71,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 54.5
Clear Lake is a community of 1,228 people in Skagit County, Washington. The median home is worth $550,500, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Washington towns, quieter than 76% of Washington towns.
How Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake is worth $550,500, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.7 times the median household income of $71,667, which is more affordable than 6% of Washington towns. Median rent is $731 a month. 85.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Clear Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $550,500 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $731 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $71,667 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.7× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 85.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Clear Lake
| People | Clear Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in Clear Lake
July highs average 74.5°F and January lows 34.7°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.7 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 46 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Clear Lake since 1950.
Severe weather in Skagit County since 1996
Skagit County has been included in 29 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 |
| January 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4682: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Skagit County
Skagit County had 53,884 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,374 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Clear Lake itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Public schools in Clear Lake
1 public school with 304 students, about 19.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake Elementary School | K-6 | 304 | 19.0 |
Towns near Clear Lake
- Big Lake, WA3.6 mi · 2,980 people · home $666,400
- Mount Vernon, WA4.0 mi · 35,219 people · home $472,300
- Burlington, WA4.3 mi · 9,152 people · home $466,400
- Sedro-Woolley, WA4.4 mi · 12,421 people · home $441,700
- Bay View, WA10.6 mi · 812 people · home $901,200
- Alger, WA11.9 mi · 507 people · home $700,000
- Lake Ketchum, WA12.3 mi · 1,268 people · home $543,000
- La Conner, WA12.3 mi · 965 people · home $553,200
Clear Lake questions
Is Clear Lake, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Clear Lake scores better for retirees than 60% of Washington towns and quieter than 76%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.5).
How much does a house cost in Clear Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Clear Lake is valued at $550,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $71,667, so homes cost about 7.7 times income. Median rent is $731 a month.
What is the weather like in Clear Lake?
July highs average 74.5°F and January lows 34.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 5.7 inches of snow.
Does Clear Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Clear Lake in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)