Mukilteo (pronounced MUK-əl-TEE-oh) is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It sits on Puget Sound between Edmonds and Everett. The city is about 25 miles (40 km) north of Seattle. In 2020, Mukilteo had a population of 21,538 people.

The area where downtown Mukilteo is today has been home to the Snohomish people for at least 1,000 years. The Treaty of Point Elliott was signed here in 1855. This treaty allowed American settlers to move into the region. Mukilteo became a town and even served as the first temporary county seat for Snohomish County in 1861. It was an important trading post for loggers and other businesses.

During World War II, Mukilteo was used as a fuel station for ships. This was because it was close to the new Snohomish County Airport (now Paine Field). Mukilteo officially became a city in 1947. It grew quickly after the Boeing Everett Factory opened nearby in the late 1960s. The city expanded by adding large suburban areas in the 1980s and 1990s. This included places like Harbour Pointe. Today, Mukilteo is mostly a bedroom community, meaning many people live here but work in other cities. It's also a key travel spot. You can take Washington State Ferries to Whidbey Island, Sounder commuter trains to Seattle, and buses to nearby cities. Mukilteo is known for its good quality of life and is one of the wealthiest cities in Washington state.

What's in a Name? The Meaning of Mukilteo

The name Mukilteo comes from Lushootseed. This is the language spoken by the Snohomish people and other Coast Salish tribes. The word for this area in Lushootseed is bək̓ʷəɬtiwʔ. Over time, it was changed to Mukilteo in English.

The exact meaning of bək̓ʷəɬtiwʔ is not fully clear. Some old records say the meaning was unknown. Other sources suggest it means "good camping ground" or "narrow passage."

Mukilteo's Journey Through Time

Early Days and First Settlements

A photo of early American settlers and Native Americans on Mukilteo Beach, around 1861–62.

The Snohomish people had a village in the Mukilteo area for at least 600 years before European explorers arrived. Old items found during construction show that people lived here as far back as 1,000 years ago.

British explorer George Vancouver visited the area in 1792. His team named the spot "Rose Point" because of the wild Nootka roses growing there. Later, an American team in 1841 renamed it "Point Elliott."

In 1855, the Treaty of Point Elliott was signed in Mukilteo. This agreement gave tribal lands to the government. In return, tribes received payments, reservations, and rights to hunt and fish. Two years later, American merchants Morris H. Frost and J. D. Fowler started a settlement at Point Elliott. They opened a store and saloon. In 1860, Fowler renamed the area Mukilteo, using an English version of the local tribal name.

Mukilteo was the first trading post in the area. It was also the temporary county seat for Snohomish County starting in 1861. Later that year, the county seat moved to Snohomish. Mukilteo remained an important port and trading spot. It soon got the county's first post office and telegraph station. The town moved to a more protected part of Point Elliott. It supported the lumber industry, shipping wood and having its own sawmill. By the 1880s, Mukilteo also had a brewery, a gunpowder plant, and the first cannery in the Puget Sound area.

Growth in the Early 1900s

The old Rosehill School, built in 1928. It later became a community center.

The Seattle and Montana Railroad (now part of the Great Northern Railway) reached Mukilteo in 1891. This connected the city to Everett, Edmonds, and Seattle. After an economic downturn in the 1890s, Mukilteo saw a boom in jobs and population. A larger lumber mill and gunpowder factory were built. The famous Mukilteo Lighthouse was built in 1906. It helped guide the many ships in the area.

Japanese immigrants came to work in Mukilteo's mills. They created a community in what is now Japanese Gulch. Passenger ferry service to Whidbey Island began in 1911. Car ferry service started in 1919. A road to Everett was finished in 1914, later called Mukilteo Boulevard. Until the lumber mill closed in 1930, Mukilteo was a "company town." This meant the Crown Lumber Company helped with city services like parks and the fire department.

During the Prohibition Era, Mukilteo was a place where alcohol was smuggled. On September 17, 1930, the town's gunpowder plant exploded. It damaged many homes and caused a lot of money in damages. Luckily, no one was killed. In 1938, the empty lumber mill was destroyed by a fire.

After the United States entered World War II, the government took over the old lumber mill site. They built a large dock to load ammunition onto warships. Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) became a military base. In the early 1950s, the loading dock was expanded with large tanks to store jet fuel for military planes.

Becoming a City and Modern Expansion

An aerial view of Paine Field, home to the Boeing Everett Factory.

On April 29, 1947, Mukilteo residents voted to become a city. Alfred Tunem was elected as the first mayor. At that time, Mukilteo had about 775 people. The city grew even more after Boeing opened its Paine Field factory in 1967. This factory built passenger jetliners. The Boeing Freeway opened in 1969. It connected southern Mukilteo and the Boeing plant to Interstate 5.

Mukilteo expanded significantly in November 1980. It added about 2,500 people and doubled its land area. By the end of the 1980s, the city's population reached 6,000. In 1991, the large Harbour Pointe community joined Mukilteo. This doubled the city's size again. Residents chose to join Mukilteo to lower their taxes and get better city services. This also helped them oppose plans for passenger flights from Paine Field.

The addition of Harbour Pointe meant Mukilteo needed new fire stations, schools, and a new city hall. Kamiak High School opened in Harbour Pointe in 1993. It helped serve the growing number of students. By 2000, Mukilteo's population grew to over 18,000 people. The city's main center shifted towards Harbour Pointe.

Mukilteo in the 21st Century

The MV Kittitas at the old Mukilteo ferry terminal, which was replaced in 2020.

In 2001, the Mukilteo Lighthouse was transferred from the U.S. Coast Guard to the city. The city planned to fix it up for tourists. Mukilteo Lighthouse Park, a former state park, was also given to the city in 2003. The park was renovated and now has a playground and picnic areas.

A large fuel storage area on the waterfront was set for new development. The Port of Everett cleaned up the site. A new pier was built there to move large airplane parts for the Boeing 787 project. The new ferry terminal opened on December 29, 2020. It connects to a nearby commuter rail station, which opened in 2008.

A research station for the Northwest Fisheries Science Center closed in 2020. There are plans to turn the area around the old ferry terminal and research facility into a walkable neighborhood. It will have a waterfront path and trails.

In 2016, a tragic event occurred at a house party in Mukilteo. This event, along with others, led to discussions about public safety laws in Washington state. In 2018, a potential threat to local schools was stopped by authorities.

Where is Mukilteo? Geography and Landscape

An aerial view of Mukilteo's downtown waterfront in 2019, showing the old ferry terminal.

Mukilteo is in the southwest part of Snohomish County. It stretches about 5.4 miles (8.7 km) north to south. The city is bordered by Possession Sound (part of Puget Sound) to the west. To the north is Port Gardner Bay. Mukilteo's eastern border is near Everett and Paine Field. Its southern border is with other nearby neighborhoods.

The city has a total area of 9.50 square miles (24.60 km²). Most of Mukilteo sits on a plateau. This plateau overlooks Possession Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the west. A railroad runs along the shore below tall bluffs. These bluffs have ravines and gulches. The city has several natural drainage areas, including Japanese Gulch and Big Gulch. Mukilteo is also located near the Southern Whidbey Island Fault, an earthquake fault line.

Mukilteo's Neighborhoods

The Mukilteo public library, located in Harbour Pointe.

Mukilteo has several large neighborhoods. These include Chennault Beach, Harbour Pointe, Olympus Terrace, and Picnic Point. The city's older area, called Old Town Mukilteo, is at the north end. The landmark lighthouse is in Old Town, next to the Washington State Ferries terminal and commuter train station.

Harbour Pointe is Mukilteo's largest neighborhood. It covers about 2,341 acres (947 ha) in the south-central part of the city. Development of Harbour Pointe started in 1978. It was added to Mukilteo in 1991. Today, Harbour Pointe is home to Kamiak High School, the city library, and many businesses.

Weather in Mukilteo

Mukilteo has weather similar to most of the Puget Sound area. Summers are dry, and winters are mild and rainy. This is because of the ocean's influence. On average, the city gets about 38.55 inches (979 mm) of rain each year. Mukilteo is also in the Puget Sound Convergence Zone. This is a local weather pattern that affects parts of Snohomish County.

Climate data for Mukilteo, Washington
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	67 (19)	74 (23)	82 (28)	85 (29)	93 (34)	103 (39)	93 (34)	40 (4)	89 (32)	80 (27)	74 (23)	66 (19)	103 (39)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	48 (9)	51 (11)	55 (13)	60 (16)	65 (18)	70 (21)	75 (24)	75 (24)	70 (21)	61 (16)	52 (11)	46 (8)	61 (16)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	35 (2)	34 (1)	37 (3)	41 (5)	46 (8)	51 (11)	54 (12)	54 (12)	49 (9)	42 (6)	38 (3)	33 (1)	43 (6)
Record low °F (°C)	1 (−17)	2 (−17)	10 (−12)	27 (−3)	29 (−2)	37 (3)	39 (4)	—	31 (−1)	22 (−6)	0 (−18)	5 (−15)	0 (−18)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	5.11 (130)	3.19 (81)	3.69 (94)	3.00 (76)	2.67 (68)	2.30 (58)	1.17 (30)	1.15 (29)	1.95 (50)	3.58 (91)	5.57 (141)	5.17 (131)	38.55 (979)
Source: The Weather Channel

How Mukilteo Works: Economy and Jobs

Mukilteo is mainly a bedroom community. This means many residents live here but work elsewhere. The city has some businesses, mostly in an industrial park near Harbour Pointe. In 2017, Mukilteo had about 10,557 jobs. Most of these were in manufacturing and services.

The largest employer in Mukilteo is the Mukilteo School District. The Boeing Technical Center in Harbour Pointe is also a big employer, with over 1,200 staff. Several companies have their headquarters or main offices in Mukilteo. These include Electroimpact (aerospace equipment), Rane (audio equipment), and Travis Industries (stovemaker).

Most of Mukilteo's workers commute to jobs in other cities. Over 26 percent travel to Everett, where the Boeing Assembly Plant is located. About 19 percent go to Seattle, and others to Bellevue and Lynnwood.

Who Lives in Mukilteo? Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1950	826	—
1960	1,128	36.6%
1970	1,369	21.4%
1980	1,426	4.2%
1990	7,007	391.4%
2000	18,019	157.2%
2010	20,254	12.4%
2020	21,538	6.3%
2022 (est.)	21,096	4.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

Mukilteo is the ninth largest city in Snohomish County. In 2020, its population was 21,538. The city has a notable number of Asian American residents, a group that started growing in the late 1980s. Mukilteo is one of the more affluent suburbs of Seattle. It has a high average household income. About 5.7 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

Mukilteo's Population in 2010

In 2010, Mukilteo had 20,254 people living in 8,057 households. The city's population density was about 3,164.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,221.9/km²). Most residents (74.9%) were White, and 17.1% were Asian. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 4.4% of the population.

About 34.1% of households had children under 18. Most households (57.9%) were married couples. The average household size was 2.51 people. The average family size was 3.00 people.

The average age in Mukilteo was 41.8 years. About 23.2% of residents were under 18. About 10.6% were 65 or older. The city's population was almost evenly split between males (50.2%) and females (49.8%).

Fun in Mukilteo: Culture and Recreation

City Events

The main yearly event in Mukilteo is the three-day Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival. It takes place at Mukilteo Lighthouse Park in late August or early September. This festival started in 1965. It includes a parade, fireworks, a fishing derby, and fun runs. The city also used to have a farmers' market at the park during the summer.

Parks and Outdoor Fun

A coastal beach at Mukilteo Lighthouse Park.

Mukilteo has a lot of open space, including 611 acres (247 ha) of public parks. These parks make up 13 percent of the city's land. The largest open spaces are protected areas in the Big Gulch and Japanese Gulch drainage basins. The city's parks are managed by a city department. This department also plans fun activities for residents. Mukilteo is also close to Picnic Point Park, a large county park along Puget Sound.

Old Town has several major parks. Mukilteo Lighthouse Park is a former state park that Mukilteo took over in 2003. It's the city's most popular park. This 12-acre (4.9 ha) park has a beach, a boat launch, a playground, and picnic areas. The Rosehill Community Center is also nearby. It's the city's main recreation center.

The Japanese Gulch is a popular natural area. It's located between Old Town and Paine Field. This 144-acre (58 ha) area is mostly forests and wetlands. It's home to many birds, salmon, deer, and mountain beavers. It has hiking trails that were first made by Japanese immigrants. The city has been buying land in the gulch since 1996. A park with dirt tracks for BMX bikes opened here in 2024.

Big Gulch is the city's largest protected area. It has 180 acres (73 ha) of protected land and 2.5 miles (4.0 km) of trails. Mukilteo's largest neighborhood park, 92nd Street Park, is at the northeast end of Big Gulch. It has a playground, hiking trails, and a dog park.

Local Media

Mukilteo's public library is run by the Sno-Isle Libraries system. It opened in Harbour Pointe in 1998. Mukilteo's first library opened in 1963. The city's main newspaper is the Mukilteo Beacon. It's published weekly. Mukilteo news is also covered by The Everett Herald and The Seattle Times.

Famous People from Mukilteo

Anita Borg, a computer scientist
Heather Boushey, an economist
Marko Liias, a state senator
James Mongrain, a glass sculptor
Lillian Ortiz-Self, a state legislator
Brian Sullivan, a former mayor
Andy Walken, an actor

Learning in Mukilteo: Education

Kamiak High School, which opened in 1993 and is located in Harbour Pointe.

The Mukilteo School District was started in 1878. It manages public schools in Mukilteo and nearby areas. The district serves about 15,000 students. Seven of its 24 schools are in Mukilteo. This includes Kamiak High School, two middle schools, and four elementary schools. Kamiak High School opened in 1993 to help with crowded schools. It has a high student graduation rate of 94 percent.

Mukilteo is also near two community colleges: Edmonds and Everett. These colleges offer two-year degree programs. The city also has three private schools for younger children.

Getting Around: Transportation in Mukilteo

The Washington State Ferries terminal in downtown Mukilteo, opened in 2020.

Mukilteo's commuter rail station, served by Sounder trains.

Downtown Mukilteo is a major transportation hub. You can find state highways, ferries, commuter trains, and buses here. State Route 525, also called the Mukilteo Speedway, runs through the city. It connects the downtown ferry terminal to Harbour Pointe and Interstate 5. State Route 526 (the Boeing Freeway) connects to the Boeing Everett Factory and Interstate 5.

State Route 525 continues north from Mukilteo to Whidbey Island on the Clinton ferry. This ferry route is one of the busiest in the state. The new Mukilteo ferry terminal opened on December 29, 2020.

The city also has three public transportation services. Sound Transit runs Sounder commuter trains from Mukilteo station to Seattle on weekdays. Community Transit and Everett Transit operate local buses. Community Transit buses connect Mukilteo to Lynnwood and the Boeing Everett Factory. Everett Transit runs a route connecting downtown Mukilteo to Everett.

Paine Field is southeast of Mukilteo. It serves the Boeing Everett Factory and also has passenger flights. The airport's passenger terminal is on the Everett side. On the Mukilteo side, there are two museums: the Future of Flight Aviation Center and the Historic Flight Foundation. The city of Mukilteo has expressed concerns about passenger flights from Paine Field.

City Services: Utilities

Electric power in Mukilteo is provided by the Snohomish County Public Utility District (PUD). Puget Sound Energy provides natural gas service. The city also works with Waste Management and Rubatino Refuse Removal for garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection.

Mukilteo's tap water and sewage systems are managed by two independent groups: the Mukilteo Water and Wastewater District and the Alderwood Water District. The Mukilteo district serves most of the city.

A major submarine communications cable system, called Pacific Crossing, connects Mukilteo to Japan. This system uses fiber-optic cables for fast data transfers. Its main switching center is in Harbour Pointe.

Mukilteo, Washington facts for kids

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