Mercer Island, Washington | |
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 Aerial view of Mercer Island from the north | |
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 Show Mercer Island Show King County Show Washington Show the United StatesInteractive location map of Mercer Island | |
| Coordinates:47°34′24″N122°14′19″W / 47.57333°N 122.23861°W /47.57333; -122.23861 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | King |
| Incorporated | July 5, 1960 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager |
| • Mayor | Salim Nice |
| • City manager | Jessi Bond |
| Area | |
• Total | 12.90 sq mi (33.41 km2) |
| • Land | 6.38 sq mi (16.53 km2) |
| • Water | 6.52 sq mi (16.88 km2) |
| Elevation | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 25,748 |
• Estimate (2024)[4] | 25,302 |
| • Density | 3,880/sq mi (1,497/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP Code | 98040 |
| Area code | 206 |
| FIPS code | 53-45005 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2411082[2] |
| Website | mercerisland |
Mercer Island is a city inKing County,Washington, United States, located on an island of the same name in the southern portion ofLake Washington. Mercer Island is in theSeattle metropolitan area,[5] connected to the mainland on both sides by bridges carryingInterstate 90, with the city ofSeattle to the west and the city ofBellevue to the east.
TheLacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and the parallelHomer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge arefloating bridges that span Lake Washington and carry, respectively, eastbound and westbound lanes of Interstate 90 and connect Mercer Island to the northern portion of Seattle'sSouth End. I-90 traverses the northern portion of Mercer Island and is then carried from the island to Bellevue over the East Channel of Lake Washington by theEast Channel Bridge. Mercer Island is located closer to Bellevue than it is to Seattle, and is therefore often considered to be part of King County'sEastside.
The population was 25,748 at the2020 census.[3] Mercer Island is one of the 100 richest ZIP codes in the US according to theIRS figures forAdjusted Gross Income.[6]
The western side of the island was home to twoSnoqualmie settlements prior to the 19th-century arrival of European American settlers in thePuget Sound region.[7] Mercer Island was named for a member of the Mercer family ofSeattle by 1860;[7]Thomas Mercer,Aaron Mercer, andAsa Mercer, members of the Mercer family fromVirginia, often rowed between the island and Seattle to pick berries, hunt, and fish.[citation needed] The first non-indigenous people to permanently settle on the island, Charles and Agnes Olds, arrived in 1885 and were followed by 15 other families within five years.[7] The first large community, East Seattle, was toward the northwest side of the island—near the McGilvara neighborhood.Charles C. Calkins created the settlement in 1887 and later built a large and gilded resort, the Calkins Hotel.[7] The hotel was reached via asteamboat ferry betweenMadison Park,Leschi Park, and theEastside. Guests included PresidentBenjamin Harrison, of 1901, amongst other well-to-do dignitaries from Seattle to the East Coast of the United States. Burned by a mysterious fire, the hotel was razed during 1908.[8][9]
The Calkins Landing continued service and presumably aided the establishment of a more permanent population. A denser urban community with business district developed toward the central northern island between the McGilvra neighborhood and Luther Burbank Park. This community now composes the majority of the island's crest through the Middle Island neighborhood.[citation needed]
In 1923, the woodenEast Channel Bridge was built to connect the island withBellevue; it was later replaced by a new concrete span in the 1930s.[7] In 1930,George W. Lightfoot requested a bridge between Mercer Island and Seattle. TheLacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, currently the second longestfloating bridge in the world, was built and opened in 1940. In 1989, a second bridge, theHomer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge, was built parallel to the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge. The third East Channel Bridge, Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge, and Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge were incorporated into the route ofInterstate 90 from Seattle, across Mercer Island, and into Bellevue.[citation needed]
The opening of the first floating bridge made Mercer Island into abedroom community for commuters, which accelerated after bridge tolls were removed in 1949. The island's population grew from 1,200 in 1940 to 4,500 in 1950, necessitating municipal services that the King County government could not provide. The City of Mercer Island was incorporated from East Seattle on July 5, 1960, and comprised all of the island with the exception of the 70-acre (280,000 m2) business district. Just over one month later, August 9, the Town of Mercer Island was incorporated from that business district, creating anenclave. The two municipalities merged as the City of Mercer Island on May 19, 1970, after several failed attempts atannexing each other.[10]
Mercer Island lies in the southern half ofLake Washington between the cities ofSeattle to the west,Bellevue to the east, andRenton to the south. Thecity limits are conterminous with the island, which is described as "shaped like a footprint without toes".[7] According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.90 square miles (33.41 km2), of which 6.38 square miles (16.52 km2) are land and 6.52 square miles (16.89 km2) are water.[1] Mercer Island is approximately six miles (9.7 km) long and up to four miles (6.4 km) wide.[7]
The island was formed by the recession of theVashon Glaciation, which left aplateau that runs north–south through the center along with a series ofravines. Mercer Island's elevation ranges from 18 feet (5.5 m) on the shore of Lake Washington to its highest point, near Rotary Park, at 394 feet (120 m) abovemean sea level.[11] The underlying soils include a mix ofalluvial and terrace deposits from the glaciation, along with layers of till and sand that are up to 100 feet (30 m) thick.[11] TheSeattle Fault, an east–west geologicfault, runs across northern Mercer Island and leaves the city seismically vulnerable.[12] Past seismic activity on the island caused landslides that carried old-growth trees into two sections of Lake Washington that are now known assunken forests.[13][14]
Mercer Island is the most populated island in a lake in the US.[15][unreliable source?]
This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F (22.0 °C). According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Mercer Island has awarm-summer Mediterranean climate, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.[16]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 19,047 | [citation needed] | — |
| 1980 | 21,522 | [citation needed] | 13.0% |
| 1990 | 20,816 | [citation needed] | −3.3% |
| 2000 | 22,036 | [citation needed] | 5.9% |
| 2010 | 22,699 | [17] | 3.0% |
| 2020 | 25,748 | 13.4% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 25,302 | [4] | −1.7% |
| United States Census Bureau[4] 2020 Census[3] | |||
An estimated 25% of city households areJewish; the island also has twosynagogues and aJewish Community Center.[18]
| Race | Number | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 16,383 | 63.6% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 275 | 1.1% |
| Native American (NH) | 30 | 0.1% |
| Asian (NH) | 5,908 | 22.9% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 29 | 0.1% |
| Some Other Race (NH) | 177 | 0.7% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 1,771 | 6.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,175 | 4.6% |
| Total | 25,748 | 100.0% |
As of the2020 census, there were 25,748 people, 9,927 households, and 7,105 families residing in the city.[20] Thepopulation density was 4,033.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,557.5/km2). There were 10,570 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 64.6%White, 1.1%African American, 0.2%Native American, 23.0%Asian, 0.1%Pacific Islander, 1.3% from some other races and 9.6% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.6% of the population.[21] 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18, 4.0% were under 5 years of age, and 20.4% were 65 and older.
There were 9,927 households, of which 62.5% weremarried couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no spouse present, 2.5% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 29.6% were non-families. 34.2% of households had children under the age of 18 living with them. 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03.
23.6% of residents were under the age of 18, and 20.6% were over the age of 65. 52.5% of residents were female. The median household income was $150,506.
As of the2010 census, there were 22,699 people, 9,109 households, and 6,532 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 3,591.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,386.6/km2). There were 9,930 housing units at an average density of 1,571.2 per square mile (606.6/km2).[17]
According to the2010 United States census, Mercer Island's racial and ethnic composition is as follows:[17]
There were 9,109 households, of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% weremarried couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.3% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97.[17]
The median age in the city was 46 years. 24.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19% were from 25 to 44; 32% were from 45 to 64; and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.[17]
Mercer Island has acouncil–manager government, in which the elected, seven-member city council selects amayor from among its members. The councilmembers are electedat-large to four-year terms, while the mayor serves a two-year term. Thecity manager is thechief executive of the city government and is hired by the city council.[22] As of 2025[update], the mayor is Salim Nice and the city manager is Jessi Bon.[23] Mercer Island's temporarycity hall is in the northeast part of the city in anoffice park. It replaced the normal city hall, which closed in April 2023 afterasbestos was discovered in theheating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.[24] A new city hall was planned to be built along with a public safety building for thepolice department on an adjacent property.[25] In November 2025, Proposition No. 1—which would float approximately $103 million in bonds to fund a new building—did not receive the majority required to pass.[26]
The city'sfire department was disbanded in 2024 and replaced by contracted service fromEastside Fire and Rescue, which providesfire protection for several Eastside cities. The fire department's twofire stations were retained along with thefirefighters.[27] Mercer Island has its own police department with onepolice station.[citation needed] The city government providestap water that is delivered bySeattle Public Utilities and stored in tworeservoirs that can each hold 2.4 million US gallons (9,100,000 L) of water.[28]Sewage treatment is provided by the King County government through a contract with the Mercer Island government.[29] The Public Works Department operates an office facility, street maintenance facility, and city shop from a building south of the City Hall.[citation needed]
In February 2021, a 6–1 majority of the Mercer Island City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting outdoor camping on public property, mainly to restricthomeless and unhoused people from overnight stays. The ordinance was criticized by theAmerican Civil Liberties Union of Washington and other public advocates for the homeless.[30][31]
At the federal level, Mercer Island is located in the9th congressional district, which includes some of southern King County as well as parts of Seattle and Bellevue.[32] The city is part of the41st legislative district at the state level, which elects one senator and two representatives. The district includes southern Bellevue,Newcastle, and part ofSammamish.[33] TheKing County Council's 6th district encompasses Mercer Island, Bellevue,Redmond, and other Eastside communities.[34]
Luther Burbank Park covers 77 acres (310,000 m2)[citation needed] of land and has 0.75 miles (1.21 km) of waterfront.[35][36] The park has a public boat dock and fishing pier, a swimming beach, an amphitheater, tennis courts, barbecues and picnic facilities, and an off-leash dog area.[37] The city assumed maintenance of the park on January 1, 2003, from King County, which had purchased the park land in 1969.[38]
TheAubrey Davis Park is atop the I-90 tunnel entrances. This park has softball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, picnic shelters, and the Freeway Sculpture Park. Due to its location atop the I-90 tunnel, the park is also locally referred to as "The Lid."[39][40]
Pioneer Park covers 113 acres (0.46 km2) and has equestrian, bicycle, and hiking trails.[41] Deane's Children's Park, also known as "Dragon Park", is a small park with playground equipment including a large concrete dragon structure.[42]
Clarke Beach is located at the south end of Mercer Island and is home to the annual polar bear swim on New Year's Day.
Mercer Island also has many smaller parks maintained by the city, some of which have waterfront access. In 2010, the city built awell in Rotary Park to supply the area with water in the event of a major disaster, specifically an earthquake.[43]
Mercer Island'ssister city, as designated bySister Cities International, isThonon-les-Bains,France.[44][45]
TheMercer Island School District operates seven schools on the island: four primary schools (Lakeridge Elementary, Island Park Elementary, West Mercer Elementary and Northwood Elementary); one middle school (Islander Middle School); one high school (Mercer Island High School); and one alternative secondary school (Crest Learning Center).[48]
Mercer Island is also home to St. Monica Catholic School, the French American School of Puget Sound, and theNorthwest Yeshiva High School (9-12).[49][50][51]
Mercer Island is bisected byInterstate 90, which connects the city toSeattle in the west andBellevue in the east. The freeway travels over theLacey V. Murrow andHomer M. Hadley floating bridges overLake Washington to Seattle and theEast Channel Bridge towards Bellevue. The bridges also carry theMountains to Sound Greenway, which includes a multi-purpose pedestrian and bicycle path. A significant section of the freeway is recessed below street level and covered by theMercer Island Lid, which includes several parks.[52]
The city's public transportation is provided byKing County Metro andSound Transit, mainly consisting of express bus routes to Seattle and the Eastside. Several routes connect to apark and ride on the north side of the island with 447 stalls.[53] It was expanded into a two-story parking garage in 2008.[54][55] All-day service for most of the island is provided by Metro Route 204, which is supplemented by Route 630 and several school bus routes during peak periods.[56][57]
In early 2026, alight rail station at the park and ride facility will be opened by Sound Transit, providing service on the2 Line to Seattle and the Eastside.[58] The light rail line will replace several express routes on Interstate 90 and Mercer Island is expected to function as a major bus–rail interchange.[53]
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