Ferndale and Anacortes receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Ferndale
Anacortes
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs55 · Top 41%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs53 · Bottom 13%
Access
42 · Bottom 2%
vs58 · Bottom 6%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs51 · Bottom 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Ferndale | Anacortes | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,999 | 17,966 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,579 | $91,951 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,409 | $57,662 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,222/sq mi | 1,536/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $549,300 | $696,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,477 | $1,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.9% | 47.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 28 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -72.5% | 47.4% | 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 | 92 mi | 68 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 50.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.52 | 18.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.4% | 32.8% | 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
Ferndale
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Anacortes
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, volcanic activity, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: Ferndale, WA · Anacortes, WA · How this is calculated: methodology