Poulsbo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Poulsbo
Bremerton
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
70 · Top 17%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs42 · Bottom 33%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 37%
vs54 · Bottom 13%
Access
87 · Bottom 34%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 45%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Poulsbo | Bremerton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,165 | 44,830 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $116,250 | $74,940 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,418 | $41,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,550/sq mi | 1,577/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $620,100 | $439,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,886 | $1,641 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.0% | 48.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49.2% | 28.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 199 | 85 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.4 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 59.2% | -70.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 26.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.3 | 33.2 | 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
Poulsbo
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Bremerton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Poulsbo, WA · Bremerton, WA · How this is calculated: methodology