Vancouver, WA
Census place 5374060 · pop 195,300
Home to Fort Vancouver, the oldest continuously occupied non-Native settlement in the Pacific Northwest.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
50.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$462,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.4% 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 77/100 · worse than most cities
96/100 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 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.2% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$1,804/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
32.3% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
10.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$81,338 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.84% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 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 90.0% · better than most cities
93.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.7% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
21.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+8.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
31 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 Vancouver: Crime, Property crime. 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 Vancouver, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Vancouver scores 47/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is homeownership. 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 Vancouver, WA expensive to live in?
- Vancouver has a median home value of $462,400 and typical rent around $1,804/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Vancouver, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (50.8%) — 17/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Vancouver, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (31 AQI) — 93/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home to Fort Vancouver, the oldest continuously occupied non-Native settlement in the Pacific Northwest.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.