Sign. Milton, Washington, 1941
Milton’s story
121 years in pictures
Census counts: 448 in 1910, 8,697 in 2020. The archive holds 9 old photos and papers going back to 1941 and 4 maps from 1961 on.
- 1905Milton is settled
MiltonWA
A town of 8,911, settled in 1905.
5 bordering townsMap →
Photo: SounderBruce · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
8,911
2025 Census estimate · +1.5% since 2020
Typical home
$563K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$97K
median
Median age
37.9
years
Jobs based here
2,257
A commuter town
TownGrade
C−
#210 of 285 in WA
Is Milton a good place to live?
Milton grades C− overall, 210th among Washington's 285 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 93% of U.S. towns. On the other side, the typical home is worth about $563K, 4.9 years of the Seattle metro’s $115K median household income. Milton’s median rent is $2,199 a month, above both the Washington town median ($1,737 a month) and the median of U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
What makes Milton stand out
Where Milton beats most towns.
A growing town
Milton has grown 27% since 2010
6,968 counted in 2010 and 8,697 in 2020; an estimated 8,911 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Milton grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Milton is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 13 of 20; 5.5% of households have no carAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →SafetyC−Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listC−Open →Jobs & income$97K median household incomeB+Open →HealthSt. Francis Community Hospital 2.8 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailBOpen →HistoryDOpen →Civic life4.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market$563K typical home, up 0.1% in a year; 11 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 37.9; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 150 attractions →Space Needle and 128 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Milton. Close and well known come first.
Big draw26 mi LookoutSpace Needle
Big draw24 mi Stadium & arenaLumen Field
Big draw26 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena
in town Theme parkWild Waves Theme Park
5 mi Stadium & arenaTacoma Dome
24 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile ParkSources: 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 · Wild Waves Theme Park: Jessica Spengler from Hove, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 · Tacoma Dome: Broran28, Public domain · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Milton: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Milton, and how to reach them.
PowerCity of MiltonEIAHIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Milton water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offAlgona Transfer Station, 3 miOpenStreetMap
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.govWho runs elections herePierce County AuditorPierce County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP codes98354, 98424, 98422, 9800398354 94% · 98424 3% · 98422 2% · 98003 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Milton.
Milton fares better on crime within Washington than nationally, has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthy by national standards but behind most towns in Washington.
SafetyC−
More crime per resident in Milton than in 84% of U.S. towns
At 40.6 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 71% of Washington’s graded towns. Reported crimes fell from 398 to 166 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Milton is 16.5 per 1,000 residents.
16%of U.S. towns report more crimeC−Safety Grade
| Milton | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 16.5 per 1,000 residents | 15 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.3 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Milton2.3
Washington2.9
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Milton16.5
Washington20.2
U.S.15.5
16th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
29th
percentile among WA towns
20
violent crimes reported in 2025
146
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
SchoolsB−
Public schools in Milton beat 53% of Washington districts
Its public schools are run by the Fife School District. One of its 2 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
53%of WA districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surprise Lake Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–7 | Grades 6–7 | 613 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Most of Milton’s workers commute out: the town has 0.6 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here grew from 1,297 in 2013 to 2,257.
Most working residents leave Milton for work: only 4% work in town. Milton’s average trip to work is 30 minutes. Since 2013, Milton has added 960 jobs, to 2,257 in 2023.
4%work in town
| Milton | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 15% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.5% | 5% | 8% |
| Median household income | $97,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Milton4%
Seattle13%
Tacoma11%
Kent7%
Federal Way6%
12 mi
median commute distance
2,257
jobs based in Milton
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A
Walkability grade: more walkable than 93% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Earthquakes leads a high hazard risk in Milton
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities. Since 1986, 6 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Milton.
75risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
6
paid flood claims since 1986
5
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Milton has four seasons and pleasant summers
The Seattle Tacoma Intl Ap weather station, 13 miles away, records that about 4 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 98% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 76.8°, cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35.8°.
Milton has mild winters and pleasant summers. About 6 inches of snow falls in a winter.
6″snow a winter
| Milton | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 77°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 36°F | 35°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–48°
Spring42–60°
Summer54–75°
Fall44–61°
Nov 14
typical first frost
Mar 8
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
Milton ranks healthier than 63% of the country’s towns
Within Washington it is less healthy than 70% of the 285 graded towns: Washington sets a high bar.
Milton beats the Washington average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 71% of adults had a checkup this year in Milton.
63%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| Milton | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 71% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 26% | 23% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 36% | 33% | 36% |
31 measures vs. Washington
0 better16 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Milton | WA |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 11.1% | 9% |
| More smokers | 12% | 10.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 6% | 5.1% |
St. Francis Community Hospital
2.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
30th
percentile among WA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
4%conserved
| Milton | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4% | 4% | 4.3% |
4%
conserved · 71 of 1,789 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Milton Community Park | 0.1 mi | 11 |
| 2. Lower Milton Baseball Fields | — | 4 |
| 3. Hill Tower Park | 0.1 mi | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade D
For cost of living, Milton earns a D
55% of Milton households own their home.
$563KZillow home value
Typical home value
Milton$563K
Washington$588K
Market temperature
11
days on market
100.2%
sale-to-list price
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
9
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Milton
19pages on Milton
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 53% of WA districts · 2 schoolsSafetyC−2.3 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthBBetter than WA on 0 of 31 CDC measuresCost of livingD$563K typical home · up 0.1% in a yearWork & commuteB+$97K median household income · 2,257 jobs hereNatural hazardsC−FEMA risk higher than 75% of U.S. communities · earthquakes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
11 within 15 miles of the center of Milton
University of Washington-Tacoma CampusUniversity or college · Public · Tacoma5.7 mi$13,168 in-state tuitionNorthwest College of Art & DesignUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Tacoma5.7 mi$18,100 tuitionBates Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tacoma6.1 mi$6,027 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Milton residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Milton for work
Where Milton’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
2,257jobs based in Milton
4%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Milton
City in Washington, United States
Milton is a city in King and Pierce counties in the U.S. state of Washington. The population was 8,697 at the time of the 2020 census. Milton borders the larger but newer town of Edgewood.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 305 ft
- ZIP code
- 98354
- Area code
- 253
Milton’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Milton.
EdgewoodFederal WayFife HeightsLakeland SouthFifeMilton
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milton | #210 | C− | D | C− | B− | B |
| Edgewood | #132 | B− | D | C | B+ | A− |
| Federal Way | #242 | C− | C− | D | C− | A− |
| Fife Heights | — | — | D | — | B− | C |
| Lakeland South | #162 | C+ | D | — | C | A |
| Fife | #226 | C− | D | D− | B+ | B+ |
Fife Heights has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Fife Heights and Lakeland South report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Milton with a neighbor →
Questions about Milton
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Milton, WA a good place to live?
Milton grades C− overall, better than 24% of U.S. towns and #210 of 285 in Washington. It grades B for health, C− for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Milton, WA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.