Washougal and Sandy receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Washougal
Sandy
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs36 · Bottom 26%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 22%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs48 · Bottom 40%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 39%
vs79 · Bottom 48%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs73 · Top 21%
Measured values
| Metric | Washougal | Sandy | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,490 | 12,854 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,368 | $108,984 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,629 | $42,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,939/sq mi | 3,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $552,300 | $470,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,701 | $1,861 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.1% | 74.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 29.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 25 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -88.3% | -56.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 40.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 28.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 34.8 | 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
Washougal
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity.
Sandy
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Washougal, WA · Sandy, OR · How this is calculated: methodology