Signals
Fort Lewis
Port Townsend
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 13%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 25%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
0 · Bottom 1%
vs29 · Bottom 1%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
61 · Top 50%
vs34 · Bottom 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Lewis | Port Townsend | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,167 | 10,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,796 | $62,606 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $24,633 | $45,197 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,474/sq mi | 1,504/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,282 | $1,578 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 1.0% | 67.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 53.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 13.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 76°F | 69°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 19.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 12.9 min | 15.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 22.9 | 60.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.43 | 18.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.0% | 50.4% | 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
Fort Lewis
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Port Townsend
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding.
Your best match
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Fort Lewis
48
Your Score
—
Area Score
Port Townsend
51
Your Score
49
Area Score
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Full profiles: Fort Lewis, WA · Port Townsend, WA · How this is calculated: methodology