Oak Harbor receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bellingham
Oak Harbor
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
31 · Bottom 1%
vs53 · Bottom 13%
Access
47 · Bottom 3%
vs66 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 36%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Bellingham | Oak Harbor | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 93,438 | 24,362 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,755 | $76,084 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,947 | $36,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,314/sq mi | 2,521/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $627,500 | $461,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,577 | $1,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.6% | 46.7% | 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 | 48.5% | 28.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 8.3% | 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 | 85 mi | 55 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.1 | 31.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 34 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.87 | 17.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.8% | 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
Bellingham
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Oak Harbor
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bellingham
54
Your Score
55
Area Score
Oak Harbor
60
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bellingham, WA · Oak Harbor, WA · How this is calculated: methodology