Signals
Shelton
Centralia
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
73 · Top 28%
vs74 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
18 · Bottom 7%
vs16 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 19%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Access
75 · Bottom 48%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 19%
vs48 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Shelton | Centralia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 67,982 | 85,154 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,270 | $74,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,551 | $36,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 71/sq mi | 35/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $411,800 | $385,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,285 | $1,097 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.3% | 75.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 183 | 321 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.7 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -19.7% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.2 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.7 | 42.2 | 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
Shelton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Centralia
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Shelton, WA Micro Area · Centralia, WA Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology