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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Mercer Island

Washington · 20,816 residents · 6.38 sq mi
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The short version

Mercer Island is a city of 20,816 people in Washington. That is roughly 97% ahead of the Washington median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 60% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $332,500. The median household earns $61,572, about 104% above the national median. The median age is 41.0, about 8 years above the US median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $30,130
Older
median age 41.0
US median: 33.0
More educated
60% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 20%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
20,816
−6%vs 2000
vs 22,036 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
41.0
−8%vs 2000
vs 44.3 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
6.38 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K22K23K25K26K19902000201020202024Mercer Island
202425K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 55.2%(1,081)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97%(1,449)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.3%(1,514)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 196.4%(1,324)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 244%(837)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3410%(2,073)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4418.1%(3,770)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5415.5%(3,218)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 6412.2%(2,546)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 749.6%(2,003)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.7%(776)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.1%(225)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$61,572
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $91,904 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$31,438
−42%vs 2000
vs $53,799 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
2.3%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 3.2% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$332,500
−20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $548,300 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$607
−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $1,014 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
78.7%
−1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 80.5% in 2000
21.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic82.8%(18,249)
Black1.1%(250)
Hispanic / Latino1.9%(410)
Asian11.8%(2,607)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic90.5%(18,848)
Black0.8%(163)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(269)
Asian8%(1,674)
Other0.6%(131)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1%(257)
Spaniard0.4%(93)
Puerto Rican0.1%(36)
Argentine0.1%(33)
Peruvian0.1%(33)
Costa Rican0.1%(17)
Venezuelan0.1%(17)
Cuban0%(7)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese10.7%(2,704)
Asian Indian3.7%(943)
Korean3.4%(855)
Japanese2.5%(639)
Vietnamese1.1%(281)
Taiwanese0.7%(173)
Filipino0.5%(122)
Thai0.3%(72)
Pakistani0.1%(33)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English14.3%(3,622)
German14.2%(3,591)
Irish9%(2,289)
Italian4%(1,014)
Norwegian3.1%(781)
Polish3%(754)
Swedish2.8%(712)
Scottish2.7%(683)
American2.7%(680)
Russian2.2%(545)
French2.1%(523)
Dutch1.4%(364)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
British1.4%(352)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(335)
Swiss0.9%(231)
Iranian0.8%(199)
Ukrainian0.8%(197)
Turkish0.7%(182)
Greek0.7%(173)
Lithuanian0.7%(165)
Danish0.6%(156)
Hungarian0.6%(147)
Canadian0.5%(136)
Welsh0.5%(133)
Austrian0.5%(120)
Israeli0.5%(115)
Finnish0.4%(109)
Arab0.4%(98)
Brazilian0.3%(81)
Romanian0.3%(67)
Armenian0.2%(63)
Bulgarian0.2%(63)
Nigerian0.2%(62)
Latvian0.2%(56)
Czech0.2%(47)
Egyptian0.2%(46)
Belgian0.2%(40)
Guyanese0.1%(33)
Portuguese0.1%(28)
Slovak0.1%(23)
Slovene0.1%(21)
Croatian0.1%(13)
Haitian0%(10)
Serbian0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
60.3%
−8.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 69.1% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
96.8%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 97.7% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
24.0%
−7.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 31.6% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.6 min
+84%vs 2000
vs 13.4 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married26.5%(2,697)
Married66.5%(6,758)
Widowed2.7%(270)
Divorced4.3%(442)
Women 15+
Never married22%(2,452)
Married60.4%(6,731)
Widowed8.2%(912)
Divorced9.4%(1,048)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
1.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2013
from 3.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
70.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 69.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
22.2%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 19.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
5.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 5.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.5%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 0.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
88.7%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 89.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
24.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2020
from 23.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)13.4%(123)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)24.5%(224)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.7%(354)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.4%(40)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II5.9%(54)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 915 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Mercer Island to nearby cities

MERCER ISLAND VS
Newcastle
Income$160,278+160%
Home value$1,205,600+263%
Population13,128−48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCER ISLAND VS
Bellevue
Income$165,576+169%
Home value$1,340,300+303%
Population154,193+507%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
MERCER ISLAND VS
Bryn Mawr-Skyway
Income$90,969+48%
Home value$655,200+97%
Population17,638−31%
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MERCER ISLAND VS
Renton
Income$100,432+63%
Home value$672,600+102%
Population104,975+313%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Mercer Island, Washington?

Mercer Island, Washington has about 20,816 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Mercer Island, Washington?

The typical household in Mercer Island, Washington earns about $61,572 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Mercer Island, Washington expensive?

In Mercer Island, Washington, the median home is worth about $332,500, and the typical rent is about $607 a month.

How educated are people in Mercer Island, Washington?

About 60.3% of adults age 25 and over in Mercer Island, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Mercer Island, Washington?

About 2.3% of people in Mercer Island, Washington live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →