Lynden receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lynden
Ferndale
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs61 · Top 40%
Growth
58 · Top 35%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 32%
vs65 · Bottom 27%
Access
34 · Bottom 1%
vs42 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
72 · Top 26%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Lynden | Ferndale | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,234 | 15,999 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $103,233 | $87,579 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,608 | $41,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,956/sq mi | 2,222/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $596,600 | $549,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,707 | $1,477 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.2% | 67.6% | 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 | 33.1% | 36.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 69 | 42 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 2.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 35.3% | -72.5% | 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 | 98 mi | 92 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 22.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.88 | 17.52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.2% | 54.4% | 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
Lynden
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Ferndale
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Lynden, WA · Ferndale, WA · How this is calculated: methodology