Lake Forest Park 83 Exceptional
Lake Forest Park Livability #50 ranked city in Washington#775 ranked city in the USARanks better than 97% of areas

Pros and Cons of Living in Lake Forest Park

PROS
  • Commute

    High scores in the commute category could indicate that this area offers short commute times to work and readily available public transportation options.

  • Crime

    This area is characterized by a crime rate, per 100,000 individuals, that falls well below the national average, indicating its potential as a very safe place to live.

  • Employment

    This area scores extremely well in the employment category. This is primarily due to the combination of low unemployment rates, higher median home income and income per capita.

  • Housing

    The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety

    Earning a high health and safety score depends on factors such as good air quality and the availability of essential health facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors, and fire stations.

CONS
  • Cost Of Living

    Residents of this area contend with a high cost of living, resulting in increased expenditures for everyday goods and services, housing, utilities and health care.

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What's it like Living in Lake Forest Park?

Lake Forest Park, Washington is a mid-sized city with a population of 13,455 inhabitants. Lake Forest Park has a population density of 3,826 people per square mile. This would be considered well above the national population density level. If we look at the most recent Census, Lake Forest Park is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are Asian and Black. Long, unnecessary commutes can be both frustrating and inconvenient when heading to work. Nationwide, the average one-way commute time takes 26 minutes, but regrettably, residing in Lake Forest Park entails a longer-than-average one-way commute time, averaging 33 minutes.

Whether you’re relocating to a new town to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Lake Forest Park could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Washington if you know where to search. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Using the livability score which includes data from categories like amenities, cost of living, commute, health & safety, you can easily compare the best places to live in Lake Forest Park and also determine if there are any nearby cities that might be a better match for your lifestyle. You can also compare Lake Forest Park to Washington and the national average.

With a livability score of 84/100, Lake Forest Park is ranked #497 in the United States and #40 in Washington. Clearly, Lake Forest Park is doing something right, as this score ranks well above the average of most cities. Lake Forest Park has also earned the rare honor of ranking in the top 10 percentile among all cities. For each of the livability categories, we know that Lake Forest Park ranks very well for amenities (B-), crime (A+), education (A+) and housing (A+). There is at least one category that did not score well in Lake Forest Park. The following was graded with a discouraging score: cost of living (F).

Feeling a sense of safety in the area that you live in is a must for most people. Low crime rates can have a positive impact on things like home prices, home appreciation rates and can help foster positive community dynamics and social cohesion. Lake Forest Park has a violent crime rate of 99 crimes per 100,000 residents which is far lower than the national average.

Parents and families often rely on school test scores when making decisions about local public schools. Test score data serves as a crucial metric for comparing and assessing various educational institutions. In Lake Forest Park, the average school test scores reached an impressive 76%, significantly higher than the national average. This remarkable performance underscores the commitment of the educational system to equip students with the knowledge and resources necessary for success. It allows your children to receive the support and skills that are essential for thriving academically, making Lake Forest Park an excellent choice for families seeking a high-quality education.

A robust real estate market serves as a crucial economic indicator, reflecting the local area's strength, stability and the confidence of its residents. Lake Forest Park excels in the housing sector, scoring high marks based on factors such as median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability. These calculations suggest that the apartment rental and real estate market in the region is exceptionally healthy, highlighting the area's economic vitality and attractiveness to potential homebuyers and renters.

There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Lake Forest Park is actually affordable. Median real estate prices in Lake Forest Park come in at $676,400, which is 151.2% higher than the Washington average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Lake Forest Park, the home price to income ratio is 4.9, which is 14% higher than the Washington average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Lake Forest Park

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Lake Forest Park?

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Compare Lake Forest Park, WA Livability

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      Lake Forest Park transportation information

      Statistic Lake Forest Park Washington National
      Average one way commute33min27min26min
      Workers who drive to work66.4%72.3%76.4%
      Workers who carpool9.6%10.2%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit10.8%6.2%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle1.4%0.9%0.6%
      Workers who walk1.5%3.6%2.8%
      Working from home9.9%5.6%4.6%
      Source: The Lake Forest Park, WA data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).