Port Townsend, WA
Census place 5355855 · pop 10,438
Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
5.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$543,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.47 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$62,606 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
13.5% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.6% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
67.9% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.73% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+9.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
28.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
61/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
53.2% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
5.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
16.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
13.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
15 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
21 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Port Townsend: Crime, Property crime, Rent. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Port Townsend, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Port Townsend scores 60/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 19 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is unemployment rate. Washington overall ranks #24 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Port Townsend, WA expensive to live in?
- Port Townsend has a median home value of $543,400 — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Port Townsend, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is unemployment rate (5.3%) — 9/100, worse than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
- What is Port Townsend, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (21 AQI) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.)
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.