Lynden receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ferndale
Lynden
Opportunity
61 · Top 40%
vs62 · Top 37%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs58 · Top 35%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Access
42 · Bottom 2%
vs34 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 44%
vs72 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Ferndale | Lynden | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,999 | 16,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,579 | $103,233 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,409 | $46,608 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,222/sq mi | 2,956/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $549,300 | $596,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,477 | $1,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 66.2% | 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% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.8% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 69 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -72.5% | 35.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| 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 | 22.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.52 | 19.88 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.4% | 43.2% | 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.
Lynden
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Ferndale, WA · Lynden, WA · How this is calculated: methodology