The Town FilesSoap Lake, Washington
City in Grant County · population 1,691 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $250,000
- Household income
- $48,125
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 89°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 35.9
Soap Lake is a city of 1,691 people in Grant County, Washington. The median home is worth $250,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks easier by car than 84% of Washington towns.
How Soap 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 Soap Lake is worth $250,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $48,125, which is more affordable than 55% of Washington towns. Median rent is $599 a month. 65.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Soap Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $250,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $599 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $48,125 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 65.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1956 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 8.0% | — |
Who lives in Soap Lake
| People | Soap Lake | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.4% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 31.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.3% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in Soap Lake
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 23.5°F. About 7.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 40 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Soap Lake since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 10, 1998.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 11, 2023 | Fire | FM-5469: Baird Springs Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| August 12, 2018 | Fire | FM-5271: Grass Valley Fire |
| July 20, 2018 | Fire | FM-5257: Buckshot Fire |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 43,158 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,558 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Soap Lake itself the ACS puts it at 8.9%.
Public schools in Soap Lake
3 public schools with 555 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Soap Lake Elementary | PK-6 | 315 | 15.8 |
| Soap Lake Middle & High School | 7-12 | 240 | 16.0 |
| RISE Academy | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Soap Lake
- Lakeview, WA1.4 mi · 1,068 people · home $195,200
- Ephrata, WA5.9 mi · 8,477 people · home $252,000
- Moses Lake North, WA15.6 mi · 4,050 people · home $242,200
- Coulee City, WA17.8 mi · 549 people · home $165,500
- Cascade Valley, WA18.8 mi · 4,332 people · home —
- Quincy, WA20.2 mi · 7,543 people · home $336,800
- Moses Lake, WA20.6 mi · 25,146 people · home $310,000
- George, WA27.7 mi · 809 people · home $155,000
Soap Lake questions
Is Soap Lake, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Soap Lake scores better for retirees than 18% of Washington towns and quieter than 48%. 21.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.9).
How much does a house cost in Soap Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Soap Lake is valued at $250,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,125, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $599 a month.
What is the weather like in Soap Lake?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 23.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.6 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Soap Lake get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Soap 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)