Bainbridge Island receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bainbridge Island
Port Orchard
Opportunity
70 · Top 23%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
50 · Bottom 49%
vs68 · Top 20%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs58 · Bottom 18%
Access
93 · Top 46%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
60 · Bottom 49%
vs56 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | Bainbridge Island | Port Orchard | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,631 | 17,149 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $172,188 | $89,795 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $99,714 | $45,489 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 892/sq mi | 1,778/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,155,900 | $539,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,194 | $1,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.4% | 62.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 76.4% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.5% | 9.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 72 | 392 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 22.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 38.5% | -10.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.3 min | 33.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 49.0 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.45 | 16.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.7% | 46.7% | 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
Bainbridge Island
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.
Bainbridge Island
65
Your Score
62
Area Score
Port Orchard
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bainbridge Island, WA · Port Orchard, WA · How this is calculated: methodology