Port Orchard receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Arlington
Port Orchard
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 13%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs56 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Arlington | Port Orchard | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,095 | 17,149 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,231 | $89,795 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,206 | $45,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,116/sq mi | 1,778/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $538,800 | $539,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,905 | $1,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 62.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 9.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 100 | 392 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 22.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 33.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 35.0 | 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
Arlington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Port Orchard
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Arlington
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
Port Orchard
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
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Full profiles: Arlington, WA · Port Orchard, WA · How this is calculated: methodology