Signals
Cottage Lake
Lake Tapps
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs52 · Bottom 40%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs33 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs77 · Bottom 45%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Cottage Lake | Lake Tapps | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,518 | 12,798 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $213,106 | $148,005 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $93,328 | $71,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 990/sq mi | 1,043/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,230,700 | $742,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,740 | $2,091 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 91.1% | 89.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 67.8% | 42.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.2% | 4.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 39.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.2 | 42.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.97 | 19.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.6% | 28.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Cottage Lake
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Lake Tapps
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Cottage Lake
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
Lake Tapps
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Cottage Lake, WA · Lake Tapps, WA · How this is calculated: methodology