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Town Hall · Mountlake Terrace

How is Mountlake Terrace run?

Mountlake Terrace’s city government spent $27.3 million on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, about $1,269 per resident. Water and other utilities ($5.4 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Next public meeting

Planning Commission

6:00 pm · City Hall

All meetings →
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$27.3M
year to December 31, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$1,269
In 2022: $1,181, more than 55% of 40 similar cities
Long-term debt
$34.8M
end of 2024, reported
City staff, 2025
132
full-time · 84 part-time · March payroll $1.2M
Typical tax bill
$4,593
0.69% of home value · WA 0.81%

What stands out about how Mountlake Terrace is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online1 upcoming meeting posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer38% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).A shared school districtShares Edmonds School District with 4 other towns.
★ What stands out · Meetings

1 upcoming meeting at town hall

From Mountlake Terrace’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2024 budget

About $1,269 per resident a year, or $3.48 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: sewer & trash, at 28%.

Where the money comes from
Fees & charges 29%Sales taxes 18%Utility sales 15%From the state 14%Property taxes 14%Interest, fines & other 5%Other taxes & licenses 5%From other local governments <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $5.2 million; interest on debt $821,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $40.3 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,181 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Mountlake Terrace’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,181 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 40 Washington cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,128, and the middle half spent $944–$1,528. Mountlake Terrace spent more than 55% of them.

Middle half of the group, $944–$1,528Median $1,128Mountlake Terrace

Includes sewer and trash ($6.6 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
40

Washington cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Mountlake Terrace itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is up 9% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Mountlake Terrace reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$25.2 million
2024$27.3 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,181 · 2024: $1,269.

City staff
132

full-time in March 2025, up from 117 in 2022.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $4,593 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.69% of the home’s value, vs 0.81% across Washington.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

Brier$6,465
Edmonds$6,190
Alderwood Manor$6,104
Lynnwood$5,167
Mountlake Terrace$4,593
Washington$4,556
$4,593
typical bill a year
0.69%
effective rate
$667,300
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Mountlake Terrace’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Mountlake Terrace’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Mountlake Terrace →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Mountlake Terrace

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityofmlt.com for Mountlake Terrace’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Mountlake Terrace yet.cityofmlt.com ↗
Who works for Mountlake Terrace

One full-time city employee for every 163 residents

On the payroll in March 2025, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (21,543).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2025

Parks & libraries23 + 83 pt
Police35
Administration & buildings34
Roads & transportation11
Sewer & trash10 + 1 pt
Water & other utilities6
Other13
132
full-time
84
part-time
$1.2M
payroll for March 2025
$14.9M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$109,000
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
28
sworn police officers
Compared, 2022.Mountlake Terrace had 5.5 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 32 of the 40 Washington cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 5.8: Mountlake Terrace had fewer than 59% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Edmonds School District

Mountlake Terrace’s K–12 school district, shared with Edmonds, Lynnwood, Woodway, Brier. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Mountlake Terrace →
$18,980
per pupil · WA $18,444
20,755
students
$361.3 million
long-term debt

Of the $18,980 per pupil, $11,626 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 34%State 62%Federal 4%

Washington districts overall: 27% local, 66% state, 8% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Mountlake Terrace’s votes are counted by county

Washington reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Mountlake Terrace alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Snohomish County’s results.

President · Snohomish County’s results417,713 votes · results as certified
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat57.4%239,843 votes
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican38.6%161,142 votes

Others: 4.0% (16,728 votes).

Most votes in Snohomish County: Kamala D Harris

Washington: Harris 57.2%, Trump 39.0%

The county’s page

100% of Mountlake Terrace lies in Snohomish County. Every 2024 race in Snohomish County is on the county’s page.

Snohomish County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Mountlake Terrace

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Mountlake Terrace.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityofmlt.com ↗
  2. 2
    Washington HouseState representatives
    Cindy RyuLauren Davis
  3. 3
    Washington SenateState senator
    Jesse Salomon
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Bob Ferguson
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Suzan K. DelBene
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of Washington
    Patty MurrayMaria Cantwell

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Mountlake Terrace compares with the towns next door

Mountlake Terrace spent $1,181 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $895 to $1,571. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Edmonds: $1,317 per resident (2022)Brier: $895 per resident (2022)Lynnwood: $1,571 per resident (2022)Alderwood Manor: unincorporated, no town budgetEdmondsBrierLynnwoodAlderwood ManorMountlake Terrace
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Brier$895$6,465
Edmonds$1,317$6,190
Lynnwood$1,571$5,167
Mountlake Terrace$1,181$4,593

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Mountlake Terrace’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityofmlt.com ↗

Questions about Mountlake Terrace’s government

How much does Mountlake Terrace spend per resident?

About $1,269 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to December 31, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,181 was more than 55% of 40 Washington cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Mountlake Terrace?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $4,593 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.69% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.81% across Washington. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityofmlt.com.

Who runs Mountlake Terrace’s government?

See cityofmlt.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Mountlake Terrace yet.

How did Mountlake Terrace vote in 2024?

Washington counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Mountlake Terrace alone. Snohomish County, where 100% of Mountlake Terrace lies, voted Harris 57.4%, Trump 38.6% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Mountlake Terrace?

132 full-time and 84 part-time employees in March 2025, with a March payroll of $1.2M (about $14.9M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Mountlake Terrace in the state legislature?

State Senate District 32 (Jesse Salomon) and State House District 32 (Cindy Ryu and Lauren Davis). The House district also covers five other towns. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Mountlake Terrace?

The next posted meeting is Planning Commission on Monday, November 9, at 6:00 pm in City Hall, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Mountlake Terrace’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →