Signals
Lake Tapps
Cottage Lake
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 40%
vs52 · Bottom 41%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 25%
vs41 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs73 · Bottom 38%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs89 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Tapps | Cottage Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,798 | 22,518 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $148,005 | $213,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,939 | $93,328 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,043/sq mi | 990/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $742,400 | $1,230,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,091 | $2,740 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 89.2% | 91.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 67.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 3.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.0 min | 28.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 44.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.04 | 18.97 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.6% | 12.6% | 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
Lake Tapps
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Cottage Lake
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Lake Tapps
66
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Area Score
Cottage Lake
67
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Lake Tapps, WA · Cottage Lake, WA · How this is calculated: methodology