The Town FilesShadow Lake, Washington
Community in King County · population 2,396 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $816,300
- Household income
- $152,552
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 43.4
Shadow Lake is a community of 2,396 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $816,300, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more upscale than 76% of Washington towns, better for families than 74% of Washington towns.
How Shadow 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 Shadow Lake is worth $816,300, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.4 times the median household income of $152,552, which is more affordable than 47% of Washington towns. Median rent is $3,043 a month. 84.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Shadow Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $816,300 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $3,043 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $152,552 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.4× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 84.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Shadow Lake
| People | Shadow Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 28.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.7% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.8% | — |
| Work from home | 25.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 41.8 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Shadow Lake
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 33.0°F. About 59.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.5 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Shadow Lake since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 18, 1964 about 6.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 18, 1964.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 8, 1972.
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 Shadow Lake itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Towns near Shadow Lake
- Maple Heights-Lake Desire, WA2.2 mi · 3,873 people · home $876,200
- Covington, WA3.1 mi · 20,777 people · home $637,300
- Maple Valley, WA3.4 mi · 28,013 people · home $724,700
- Hobart, WA3.5 mi · 6,767 people · home $950,300
- Fairwood, WA4.1 mi · 19,396 people · home $733,200
- East Renton Highlands, WA4.7 mi · 11,937 people · home $778,700
- Lake Morton-Berrydale, WA5.2 mi · 10,474 people · home $714,200
- Ravensdale, WA5.6 mi · 555 people · home $1,400,000
Shadow Lake questions
Is Shadow Lake, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Shadow Lake scores better for retirees than 38% of Washington towns and quieter than 57%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.4).
How much does a house cost in Shadow Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Shadow Lake is valued at $816,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $152,552, so homes cost about 5.4 times income. Median rent is $3,043 a month.
What is the weather like in Shadow Lake?
July highs average 77.0°F and January lows 33.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.7 inches of precipitation a year and 15.5 inches of snow.
Does Shadow Lake get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Shadow Lake 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)