Mercer Island vs Redmond
Mercer Island, Washington versus Redmond, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Mercer Island and Redmond score about the same overall (58 vs 56 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Mercer Island | Redmond |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $191k | $155k |
| Cost of Living | $73k | $73k |
| Home Value | $1.7M | $1.0M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.59% | 0.73% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.33% | 7.93% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.4 in | 43.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8 in | 3.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 119 days | 117 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 68.4 | 77.3 |
| Air Quality | 37 AQI | 32 AQI |
| School Quality | 80.7 | 74.8 |
| Violent Crime | 243/100k | 393/100k |
| Property Crime | 1692/100k | 3175/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,464 | 73,728 |
| Median Age | 45.3 | 34.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.89 | 1.09 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+54 |
| White (%) | 65.3% | 47.1% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.2% | 7.6% |
| Asian (%) | 22.0% | 38.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.1% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 12.0/20 | 12.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 9 mi | 18 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.7% | 95.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 472.82 | 100.23 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Mercer Island or Redmond more affordable?
- Redmond has the lower cost of living: its index is $73k, compared with Mercer Island's $73k and Redmond's $73k. Median rent is $2k in Mercer Island versus $2k in Redmond.
- Is Mercer Island or Redmond safer?
- Mercer Island has the lower violent crime rate. Mercer Island reports 243/100k and Redmond reports 393/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Mercer Island or Redmond?
- The median home value is $1.7M in Mercer Island and $1.0M in Redmond, so homes are more affordable in Redmond.