Medical Lake, Washington
Encyclopedia
Medical Lake is a city in Spokane County, Washington
, United States. The population was 5,060 at the 2010 census. It is home to two mental hospitals, Eastern State Hospital
and Lakeland Village.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.5 km²), of which, 3.5 square miles (8.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (6.52%) is water.
The city is named for an eponymous
lake, and lies on that lake's east side. There are many lakes within a few miles of the city, including Medical and West Medical Lakes, Silver Lake, Clear Lake, and numerous smaller lakes south of the city. Driving distance from downtown Spokane
is 16 miles along Interstate 90
and Washington State Route 902
, the latter of which runs through the city. Eastern State Hospital is across the lake from town in between West Medical Lake and Medical Lake. Fairchild Air Force Base
is located just north of town. Geologically, the city lies on basalt flows
that were heavily eroded by catastrophic flooding
at the end of the Ice Age, so the city and environs is in the Channeled Scablands
.
, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.12% of the population.
There were 1,090 households out of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 24.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,159, and the median income for a family was $47,357. Males had a median income of $35,543 versus $23,971 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,874. About 9.4% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line
, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.
Spokane County, Washington
Spokane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after the Spokane tribe. As of the 2010 census the population was 471,221, making it the fourth most populous county in Washington state. The largest city and county seat is Spokane, the second largest city in the state,...
, United States. The population was 5,060 at the 2010 census. It is home to two mental hospitals, Eastern State Hospital
Eastern State Hospital (Washington)
Eastern State Hospital is a psychiatric hospital established in 1891 in Medical Lake, a small community 20 miles southwest of Spokane, Washington. The original building was a Kirkbride Plan and the current building has a similar floor plan with male and female wings extending out from the main...
and Lakeland Village.
Geography
Medical Lake is located at 47.571384°N 117.683333°W (47.571384, -117.683333).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 3.7 square miles (9.5 km²), of which, 3.5 square miles (8.9 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.6 km²) of it (6.52%) is water.
The city is named for an eponymous
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
lake, and lies on that lake's east side. There are many lakes within a few miles of the city, including Medical and West Medical Lakes, Silver Lake, Clear Lake, and numerous smaller lakes south of the city. Driving distance from downtown Spokane
Spokane
Spokane is a city in the U.S. state of Washington.Spokane may also refer to:*Spokane *Spokane River*Spokane, Missouri*Spokane Valley, Washington*Spokane County, Washington*Spokane-Coeur d'Alene-Paloos War*Spokane * USS Spokane...
is 16 miles along Interstate 90
Interstate 90 in Washington
Interstate 90 , a transcontinental Interstate Highway from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts, crosses the state of Washington before crossing the Idaho state line between Spokane and Post Falls...
and Washington State Route 902
Washington State Route 902
State Route 902 is a long state highway located entirely in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The highway serves to connect Lakeland Village and Medical Lake to the county seat of Spokane. The highway has existed since at least 1931, and before the 1964 state highway renumbering, it was...
, the latter of which runs through the city. Eastern State Hospital is across the lake from town in between West Medical Lake and Medical Lake. Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairchild Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately southwest of Spokane, Washington.The host unit at Fairchild is the 92d Air Refueling Wing assigned to the Air Mobility Command's 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force...
is located just north of town. Geologically, the city lies on basalt flows
Columbia River Basalt Group
The Columbia River Basalt Group is a large igneous province that lies across parts of the Western United States. It is found in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California...
that were heavily eroded by catastrophic flooding
Missoula Floods
The Missoula Floods refer to the cataclysmic floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington and down the Columbia River Gorge at the end of the last ice age. The glacial flood events have been researched since the 1920s...
at the end of the Ice Age, so the city and environs is in the Channeled Scablands
Channeled scablands
The Channeled Scablands are a unique geological erosion feature in the U.S. state of Washington. They were created by the cataclysmic Missoula Floods that swept periodically across eastern Washington and down the Columbia River Plateau during the Pleistocene epoch. Geologist J Harlen Bretz coined...
.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,758 people, 1,090 households, and 767 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,090.8 people per square mile (420.6/km²). There were 1,197 housing units at an average density of 347.4 per square mile (134.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.88% White, 4.60% African American, 1.41% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.12% of the population.
There were 1,090 households out of which 40.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 24.3% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 35.5% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 108.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,159, and the median income for a family was $47,357. Males had a median income of $35,543 versus $23,971 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $14,874. About 9.4% of families and 14.8% of the population were below the poverty line
Poverty threshold
The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate standard of living in a given country...
, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 13.7% of those age 65 or over.