98226 and 98277 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
98226
98277
Opportunity
65 · Top 30%
vs51 · Bottom 41%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs53 · Top 46%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 11%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Access
45 · Bottom 2%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 45%
vs60 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | 98226 | 98277 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,782 | 40,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,375 | $83,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,504 | $39,272 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 442/sq mi | 715/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $607,600 | $499,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,620 | $1,672 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 27.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 8.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 621 | 119 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.4% | 5.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 69°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 19.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 88 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 34.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.82 | 17.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.8% | 43.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
98226
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98277
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 98226 — Bellingham, WA · 98277 — Oak Harbor, WA · How this is calculated: methodology