Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Lake Morton-Berrydale

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Washington›King County

Lake Morton-BerrydaleWA

TownGrade
B−
#137 of 285 in WA

A town of 11,183 in Washington.

Is Lake Morton-Berrydale a good place to live?

Real strengths, and real weak spots. Cost of living is its weak spot: the typical home is worth about $714K, 6.2 years of the Seattle metro’s $115K median household income. Hazard risk is weaker too — FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 70% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. Where it does best is health — residents are healthier than 94% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. It is strong on incomes as well: the median household earns $130K. The overall grade comes out at B−, 137th of 285 in Washington. On that grade it does better than 48% of U.S. towns. The biggest park or preserve is Covington Natural Area, at 57 acres.

Figures: health, CDC PLACES · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · home values, Zillow · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenStreetMap.

How Lake Morton-Berrydale grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Lake Morton-Berrydale is from typical.

How grading works
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

How TownRatings grades towns →

2025-07-04, Little Free Library, Charter 159897 (Lake Morton-Berrydale, Washington), 01
2025-07-04, Little Free Library, Charter 159897 (Lake Morton-Berrydale, Washington), 01, 2025
Lake Morton-Berrydale’s story

Lake Morton-Berrydale in pictures

Census counts: 9,659 in 2000, 10,474 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 4 maps from 1949 on.

Explore the history →
A commuter town

99% of working residents leave Lake Morton-Berrydale for work

Where Lake Morton-Berrydale’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

17% → Seattle Seattle 17% 13% → Kent Kent 13% 8% → Renton Renton 8% 6% → Auburn Auburn 6% 5% → Bellevue Bellevue 5% 4% → Tacoma Tacoma 4% Lake Morton-Berrydale · 1% stay
768jobs based in Lake Morton-Berrydale
1%of working residents work in town
15 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Lake Morton-Berrydale.

Lake Morton-Berrydale has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns and sends most of its workers to Seattle and beyond, but it has property taxes 1.5 times the Washington norm.

HealthA

Lake Morton-Berrydale earns an A for health

94%of U.S. towns are less healthyAHealth Grade

The share of adults in Lake Morton-Berrydale who had a checkup this year is 72%. 25% of Lake Morton-Berrydale adults have obesity, below both Washington’s towns (33%) and U.S. towns (35%). In Lake Morton-Berrydale, 14% of adults get no exercise outside work, and 29% sleep under 7 hours. Against the Washington average, Lake Morton-Berrydale comes out ahead on 14 CDC measures out of 31, and behind on 2.

Lake Morton-BerrydaleTypical Washington townTypical U.S. town
Obesity (CDC PLACES)25%33%35%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)14%18%25%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)29%33%36%
Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES)8.5%11%14%
31 measures vs. Washington
14 better15 too close to call2 worse
What stands outLake Morton-BerrydaleWA
Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off3.6%5.1%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity7.3%10.2%
More adults who have had cancer9.1%7.9%
Multicare Covington Medical Center
1.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
86th
percentile among WA towns

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsB−

Lake Morton-Berrydale’s public schools trail 55% of Washington districts

45%of WA districts it outscoresB−School Grade

Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Kentlake High School, with 1,561 students. The public schools here belong to the Kent School District.

SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
Grass Lake Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5337–
Kentlake High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12Grades 9–121,561–

NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation

Work & commuteJobs & income grade A

Few of Lake Morton-Berrydale’s working residents work in town

1%work in town

Lake Morton-Berrydale has 768 jobs for its 4,714 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 38.4 minutes, against 26.6 across Washington.

For most workers, Lake Morton-Berrydale is a place to come home to: only 1% work in town. This Washington town had 768 jobs in 2023, up 178 from 2013. Also worth knowing: in Lake Morton-Berrydale, 3.7% of residents live below the poverty line. 18% of Lake Morton-Berrydale workers work remotely from home, above both the Washington town median (15%) and the median of U.S. towns (11%).

Lake Morton-BerrydaleTypical Washington townTypical U.S. town
Average trip to work38 minutes27 minutes25 minutes
Median household income$130,000$98,000$80,000
Work from home18%15%11%
Below the poverty line3.7%7.9%9.6%

Where working residents work

In Lake Morton-Berrydale1%
Seattle17%
Kent13%
Renton8%
Auburn6%
15 mi
median commute distance
768
jobs based in Lake Morton-Berrydale
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 44% of U.S. towns

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−

Natural hazards: high risk in Lake Morton-Berrydale, mostly earthquakes

70risk score of 100

One claim on flood insurance has been paid out in Lake Morton-Berrydale since 1997. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 55% come from earthquakes and 41% from inland flooding.

FEMA risk score
70High riskLowerHigher
EarthquakesInland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 1997

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Lake Morton-Berrydale, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

18″snow a winter

July afternoons average 77°, cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35°.

About 18 inches of snow falls in a winter. Precipitation in Lake Morton-Berrydale totals about 49 inches in a normal year.

Lake Morton-BerrydaleTypical Washington townTypical U.S. town
July high77°F77°F85°F
January low35°F35°F22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter35–47°
Spring41–59°
Summer53–75°
Fall44–61°
Oct 25
typical first frost
Apr 20
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Who lives here

Fewer adults under 35 in Lake Morton-Berrydale than across Washington

41.9median age · WA overall 38.3

For residents in Lake Morton-Berrydale, the share who are under 18 is 25%. Adults 18 to 34 are 17% of residents (24% statewide); children under 18 are 25% of residents (21% statewide). Its median age is 41.9 years. Just over a third of adults 25 and older hold at least a bachelor’s degree, against 40% across Washington.

Lake Morton-BerrydaleTypical Washington townTypical U.S. town
Under 1825%22%22%
Median age41.9 years38.5 years40.5 years
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+35%30%29%
Aged 65 or older16%16%18%
Lake Morton-BerrydaleWashingtonUnited States

Ages · share of residents

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma7%
High school19%
Some college25%
Associate’s14%
Bachelor’s22%
Graduate13%

Women and men · all residents

45% women, 55% men

That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±6.5 points. Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women.

Ages and education in Lake Morton-Berrydale
Lake Morton-BerrydaleWAU.S.
Under 1014.8%11.5%11.6%
10 to 1710.6%9.9%10.3%
18 to 246.1%8.5%9.1%
25 to 3410.9%15.2%13.7%
35 to 4412.9%14.3%13.2%
45 to 5416.4%12%12.2%
55 to 6412.5%12%12.7%
65 to 7412.3%10.1%10.2%
75 and older3.5%6.5%7%
No diploma6.8%7.7%10.4%
High school19.4%21.6%26%
Some college25.2%21%19.1%
Associate’s14%10%8.8%
Bachelor’s21.5%24%21.6%
Graduate13.1%15.6%14.1%

U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

OutdoorsC+

Protected land: 1.3% of Lake Morton-Berrydale

#208for trails in WA

Count the trails in 6 parks and preserves and they come to 3.7 miles. In Lake Morton-Berrydale, the density of trails is 0.3 miles per square mile. Walkers here have 100 acres of parks and preserves.

Lake Morton-BerrydaleTypical Washington townTypical U.S. town
Miles of trail per square mile0.3 miles per square mile0.80.4
Conserved land1.3%4%4.3%
1.3%
conserved · 103 of 7,962 acres
3.7 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Covington Natural Area—57
2. Hatchery Natural Area—30
3. South Jenkins Creek Open Space—8

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

HousingCost of living grade D

A home in Lake Morton-Berrydale sells for about $772K at the median

$772Kmedian sale price

The median property tax bill is $6,923, against $4,556 across Washington, another input to its cost-of-living grade.

Among households in Lake Morton-Berrydale, 89% own their home. The town’s midpoint rent is recorded as $2,017 a month. Homes sold in Lake Morton-Berrydale spent a median 39 days on the market.

Lake Morton-BerrydaleTypical Washington townTypical U.S. town
Households that own their home89%70%73%
Median rent$2,017 a month$1,737 a month$1,185 a month
Market temperature
BalancedA seller's marketBuyer’sSeller’s
39
days on market
98.3%
sale-to-list price
12
homes sold in September

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Lake Morton-Berrydale

17pages on Lake Morton-Berrydale
Nearby attractions

Space Needle and 132 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Lake Morton-Berrydale. Close and well known come first.

All 152 attractions →
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Space Needle: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lumen Field: "Smart Destinations", GoSeattleCard.com, and Go Seattle Card Blog, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Climate Pledge Arena: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Seattle Underground: Mark Hursh, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wild Waves Theme Park: Jessica Spengler from Hove, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0

Getting set up

Moving to Lake Morton-Berrydale: who provides what

Lake Morton-Berrydale is unincorporated, so King County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerPuget Sound Energy17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCovington Water DistrictNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers97% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesKing CountyKing County provides services here
SchoolsKent School DistrictAuburn School District2 districts serve Lake Morton-Berrydale; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereKing County ElectionsKing County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2021
ZIP codes98042, 9809298042 89% · 98092 10%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.

After high school

Colleges nearby

3 within 15 miles of the center of Lake Morton-Berrydale

About Lake Morton-Berrydale

Census-designated place in Washington, United States

Lake Morton-Berrydale is a census-designated place (CDP) in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,474 at the 2020 census. Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Lake Morton-Berrydale ranks 44th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
13 sq mi
Elevation
459 ft
Area code
206

Lake Morton-Berrydale’s neighbors

6 towns share a border with Lake Morton-Berrydale.

Explore the map →
How the neighbors grade
TownWA rankOverallCostSafetySchoolsHealth
Lake Morton-Berrydale#137B−D—B−A
Lake Holm#115B−C−—B−A+
Auburn#214C−DDB−A−
Covington#170C+DC−B−A
Kent#221C−DDB−A−
Maple Valley#39A−DBAA+
Black Diamond#12ACAB+A+

Lake Morton-Berrydale and Lake Holm report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Lake Morton-Berrydale with a neighbor →

Questions about Lake Morton-Berrydale

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Lake Morton-Berrydale, WA a good place to live?

Lake Morton-Berrydale grades B− overall, better than 48% of U.S. towns and #137 of 285 in Washington. It grades A for health and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Lake Morton-Berrydale, WA expensive?

Yes. The typical home is worth about $714,000, 22% above the Washington typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

Lake Morton-Berrydale is in here

Say something about Lake Morton-Berrydale.

Ask a question, answer one, post a photo or an event. Free, and the parts only a neighbor would know are the parts worth reading.

Post to Lake Morton-Berrydale’s town square →