The Town FilesGold Bar, Washington
City in Snohomish County · population 2,403 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $455,400
- Household income
- $100,729
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 36 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 35.5
Gold Bar is a city of 2,403 people in Snohomish County, Washington. The median home is worth $455,400, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks quieter than 85% of Washington towns.
How Gold Bar 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 Gold Bar is worth $455,400, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $100,729, which is more affordable than 74% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,843 a month. 90.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gold Bar | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $455,400 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,843 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $100,729 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 90.5% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1994 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Gold Bar
| People | Gold Bar | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.7% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.6% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 47.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Gold Bar
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 34.0°F. About 68.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 36.0 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 53 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gold Bar since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on June 16, 2006 about 2.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2006.
Severe weather in Snohomish County since 1996
Snohomish County has been included in 37 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 |
| January 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4682: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 8, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4593: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Snohomish County
Snohomish County had 297,617 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,940 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Gold Bar itself the ACS puts it at 6.9%.
Public schools in Gold Bar
1 public school with 336 students, about 14.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Bar Elementary | K-5 | 336 | 14.6 |
Towns near Gold Bar
- May Creek, WA0.8 mi · 849 people · home $346,400
- Startup, WA3.1 mi · 859 people · home $359,600
- Sultan, WA5.3 mi · 5,146 people · home $526,100
- Woods Creek, WA9.9 mi · 6,017 people · home $822,800
- Lake Roesiger, WA12.9 mi · 611 people · home $661,200
- Monroe, WA13.5 mi · 19,699 people · home $668,400
- Monroe North, WA13.8 mi · 1,796 people · home $707,500
- Chain Lake, WA14.0 mi · 4,806 people · home $873,000
Gold Bar questions
Is Gold Bar, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gold Bar scores better for retirees than 30% of Washington towns and quieter than 85%. 9.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.5).
How much does a house cost in Gold Bar?
The median owner-occupied home in Gold Bar is valued at $455,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,729, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,843 a month.
What is the weather like in Gold Bar?
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 34.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 68.3 inches of precipitation a year and 36.0 inches of snow.
Does Gold Bar get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Gold Bar since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on June 16, 2006. 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)