Oak Harbor receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oak Harbor
Arlington
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs65 · Top 24%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 13%
vs53 · Bottom 13%
Access
66 · Bottom 10%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs55 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Oak Harbor | Arlington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,362 | 21,095 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,084 | $88,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,377 | $44,206 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,521/sq mi | 2,116/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $461,200 | $538,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,645 | $1,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.7% | 62.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 20.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 12.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 119 | 100 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 4.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 69°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.9" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 55 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 32.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.5 | 36.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Oak Harbor
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding.
Arlington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Oak Harbor
60
Your Score
58
Area Score
Arlington
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Oak Harbor, WA · Arlington, WA · How this is calculated: methodology