Vancouver receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Washougal
Vancouver
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs44 · Bottom 25%
Growth
35 · Bottom 25%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
78 · Top 22%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs65 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 39%
vs57 · Bottom 17%
Access
89 · Bottom 40%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs63 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Washougal | Vancouver | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,490 | 195,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,368 | $81,338 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,629 | $45,636 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,939/sq mi | 4,002/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $552,300 | $462,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,701 | $1,702 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.1% | 50.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 32.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 10.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 1,298 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -88.3% | 17.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.7" | 37.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.7 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 37.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 63 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.34 | 17.74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.6% | 53.8% | 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
Washougal
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity.
Vancouver
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Washougal, WA · Vancouver, WA · How this is calculated: methodology