Population 25,398 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mercer Island
Household size in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.56 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.20 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.61 people per household, Mercer Island sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has climbed from 2.41 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the center and smallest in the northwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.5 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 46.6 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 46.2 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 46.8 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Mercer Island skews older: half of its residents are older than 46.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The youngest areas are in the north, the oldest in the southeast.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.7% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Mercer Island: 4.7% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 0.5 points, in line with the national trend. Only 19 of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Mercer Island
Renters in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.4% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.8% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.2% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.9% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +9.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Mercer Island is about as common as it is nationally: 32.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Seattle area overall (40.0%). Just over four in ten owners (41.9%) have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 9.6 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.5% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.3% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 5.5% of homes in Mercer Island are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Seattle area. Vacancy has fallen 2.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1972 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +1 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Mercer Island run older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1972 against 1980. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the center. Of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people, only 16 have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,530 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,680 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $2,633 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $3,033 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,503 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in Mercer Island pays $3,033 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $1,503 a month from 2006–10, a 98% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 29.5% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the north.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Mercer Island
Bachelor's degrees in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.4% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 75.4% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 78.3% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 81.9% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Mercer Island: 81.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 6.5 points, in line with the national trend. Mercer Island has the highest share of college graduates of any Washington city with 5,000+ people.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 98.2% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.0% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.9% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.4% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Mercer Island: 98.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people, only three have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Mercer Island
| Period | Mercer Island | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.9% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.9% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mercer Island has been low: just 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Mercer Island compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer Island | 2.61 | 46.8 | 4.7% | 32.9% | 5.5% | 1972 | $3,033 | 81.9% | 98.4% | 2.9% |
| Beaux Arts Village | 3.16 | 38.4 | 5.0% | 1.5% | 1.1% | 1988 | $3,501 | 93.4% | 100.0% | 6.9% |
| Newcastle | 2.46 | 38.2 | 5.1% | 38.2% | 6.6% | 2001 | $2,677 | 67.7% | 97.8% | 5.4% |
| Bellevue | 2.52 | 39.7 | 6.1% | 48.4% | 6.7% | 1982 | $2,794 | 72.0% | 95.5% | 4.2% |
| Medina | 2.88 | 45.7 | 2.4% | 21.0% | 7.3% | 1974 | $3,473 | 87.0% | 98.7% | 3.0% |
| Clyde Hill | 2.70 | 49.5 | 2.5% | 9.3% | 7.4% | 1972 | $3,501 | 79.8% | 98.8% | 4.5% |
| Bryn Mawr-Skyway | 2.81 | 40.7 | 14.2% | 42.7% | 8.1% | 1971 | $2,050 | 34.5% | 87.1% | 7.0% |
| Hunts Point | 2.64 | 49.7 | 5.9% | 8.0% | 7.8% | 1978 | $3,501 | 83.1% | 98.8% | 2.0% |
| Yarrow Point | 2.64 | 49.7 | 5.9% | 8.0% | 7.8% | 1978 | $3,501 | 83.1% | 98.8% | 2.0% |
| Boulevard Park | 2.93 | 31.1 | 23.0% | 53.2% | 14.7% | 1973 | $1,952 | 21.6% | 77.2% | 5.4% |
| Seattle area | 2.60 | 38.8 | 9.1% | 40.0% | 6.6% | 1983 | $2,193 | 46.3% | 93.1% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Allendale, MI · Yorkville, IL · Yelm, WA · West Hempstead, NY · Wayne, PA · Waukee, IA · Watertown, WI · Wallingford, CT · Wakefield, MA · Waianae, HI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Mercer Island. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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