Signals
Albany
Centralia
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
68 · Top 44%
vs74 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
31 · Bottom 21%
vs16 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 14%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Access
74 · Bottom 47%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
64 · Top 33%
vs48 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Albany | Centralia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 130,706 | 85,154 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,329 | $74,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,924 | $36,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 57/sq mi | 35/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $376,400 | $385,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,320 | $1,097 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.9% | 75.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 235 | 321 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 27.0% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.9 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 42.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Albany
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Centralia
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Albany, OR Metro Area · Centralia, WA Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology