Signals
Birch Bay
Ferndale
Opportunity
60 · Top 43%
vs61 · Top 40%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
34 · Bottom 1%
vs42 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 16%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Birch Bay | Ferndale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,837 | 15,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,854 | $87,579 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,034 | $41,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 634/sq mi | 2,222/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $477,200 | $549,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,222 | $1,477 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.1% | 67.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 36.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 98 mi | 92 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.6 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.84 | 17.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.8% | 54.4% | 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
Birch Bay
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Ferndale
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Birch Bay, WA · Ferndale, WA · How this is calculated: methodology