Signals
Ferndale
Birch Bay
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs60 · Top 43%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs75 · Bottom 41%
Access
42 · Bottom 2%
vs34 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs39 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | Ferndale | Birch Bay | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,999 | 10,837 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,579 | $86,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,409 | $46,034 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,222/sq mi | 634/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $549,300 | $477,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,477 | $1,222 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 82.1% | 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 | 36.9% | 32.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 9.4% | 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 | 92 mi | 98 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 44.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.52 | 19.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.4% | 44.8% | 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.
Birch Bay
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Ferndale, WA · Birch Bay, WA · How this is calculated: methodology