The Town FilesLakewood, Washington
City in Pierce County · population 63,612 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $461,200
- Household income
- $74,720
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 37.4
Lakewood is a city of 63,612 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $461,200, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more vibrant than 93% of Washington towns, more walkable than 90% of Washington towns, better for cycling than 89% of Washington towns.
How Lakewood 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 Lakewood is worth $461,200, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.2 times the median household income of $74,720, which is more affordable than 26% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,525 a month. 47.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lakewood | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $461,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,525 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $74,720 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.2× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 47.5% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Lakewood
| People | Lakewood | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.2% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 13.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Lakewood
July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 36.4°F. About 42.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.1 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 21 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakewood since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 30, 2013 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 30, 2013.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 26 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 |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 333,492 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,395 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Lakewood itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Lakewood
27 public schools with 9,651 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakes High School | 9-12 | 1,195 | 19.9 |
| Clover Park High School | 9-12 | 1,137 | 16.0 |
| Thomas Middle School | 6-8 | 980 | 18.8 |
| General William H. Harrison Preparatory School | 6-12 | 745 | 19.1 |
| Hudtloff Middle School | 6-8 | 586 | 16.3 |
| Lakeview Hope Academy | PK-5 | 541 | 14.2 |
| Four Heroes Elementary | PK-5 | 528 | 14.7 |
| Lake Louise Elementary School | PK-5 | 503 | 16.2 |
| Lochburn Middle School | 6-8 | 467 | 15.1 |
| Idlewild Elementary School | PK-5 | 435 | 16.7 |
| Park Lodge Elementary School | PK-5 | 355 | 14.2 |
| Tyee Park Elementary School | PK-5 | 336 | 12.4 |
Towns near Lakewood
- McChord AFB, WA2.8 mi · 3,188 people · home —
- Steilacoom, WA3.0 mi · 6,727 people · home $655,000
- University Place, WA3.7 mi · 34,866 people · home $624,800
- North Fort Lewis, WA4.3 mi · 5,978 people · home —
- Parkland, WA4.5 mi · 38,623 people · home $423,000
- Fircrest, WA4.6 mi · 7,156 people · home $583,500
- Fort Lewis, WA5.1 mi · 14,052 people · home —
- Midland, WA5.5 mi · 9,962 people · home $412,800
Lakewood questions
Is Lakewood, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakewood scores better for retirees than 18% of Washington towns and quieter than 8%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in Lakewood?
The median owner-occupied home in Lakewood is valued at $461,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,720, so homes cost about 6.2 times income. Median rent is $1,525 a month.
What is the weather like in Lakewood?
July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 36.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.0 inches of precipitation a year and 4.1 inches of snow.
Does Lakewood get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakewood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 30, 2013. 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)