Signals
Centralia
Albany
Growth
63 · Top 29%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
74 · Top 24%
vs68 · Top 44%
Physical resilience
16 · Bottom 7%
vs31 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 18%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Access
65 · Bottom 29%
vs74 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 47%
vs64 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Centralia | Albany | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 85,154 | 130,706 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,796 | $76,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,049 | $34,924 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 35/sq mi | 57/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $385,800 | $376,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,097 | $1,320 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.8% | 66.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.5% | 21.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 321 | 235 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.5% | 27.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 35°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 60 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 40.1 | 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
Centralia
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Albany
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Centralia, WA Micro Area · Albany, OR Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology