City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Anacortes, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Anacortes - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

17,837
Residents
$89,788
Median income
$647,700
Median home
$1,671
Median rent (state)

Anacortes - the verdict

Anacortes ranks in the 71st percentile for household income and the 43rd percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

71st
percentile, household income
91st
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
43rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Anacortes, WA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 17,837 residents in Anacortes, a small town within Washington. The typical household in Anacortes brings in $89,788 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 6.0%. Typical homes in Anacortes are valued around $647,700, and the median resident age is 49.5 years. Educational attainment runs 45.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 48.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 23 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 65% from five years earlier. Anacortes reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1589.1 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Anacortes's yearly average temperature at 52.8°F with 29.0 inches of precipitation per year.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Washington at 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,671 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Anacortes report an average commute of 20.2 minutes, with 72.0% driving alone and 14.1% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 78.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

17,837 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$89,788 /yr

Poverty 6.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Anacortes compare to other US cities?

Here's how Anacortes stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 91% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 43% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Washington, Anacortes ranks #59 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Anacortes's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

71stIncome percentile
43rdSafety percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income · 43rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Anacortes's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Anacortes's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 45 Avg. percentile National median
Anacortes's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Anacortes's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$647,700 9th percentile more affordable than 9% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Anacortes $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Anacortes, WA Anacortes, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Anacortes, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Anacortes, WA median $89,788/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Anacortes, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Anacortes, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 48.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
17,837
Median Income
$89,788
Median Home Value
$647,700
Median Age
49.5
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Labor force participation
48.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1589.1
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
93.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1495.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
52.8°F
Annual Precipitation
29.0"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,600 residents17,800 residents18,000 residents18,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,672 residents 18,080 residents ▲ +2.3%
Anacortes's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
23
housing units authorized
Single-Family
23
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 66
2020 108
2021 165
2022 87
2023 35
2024 23

Permit volume decreased 65% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.2 minutes
Drive Alone
72.0%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
3.2%
Work from Home
14.1%
Other
2.1%

Based on 7,615 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Anacortes sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,671/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
78.0 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Bryn Mawr-Skyway
17,577 people
Camano
17,535 people
Fairwood CDP (King County)
18,437 people
Centralia
18,457 people
West Richland
17,126 people
Aberdeen
17,040 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Anacortes's 17,837 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Blythe, CA
17,824 people
Hope Mills, NC
17,823 people
Bay City, TX
17,816 people
Guayama zona urbana, PR
17,815 people
Tiffin, OH
17,814 people
Southbridge, MA
17,806 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Anacortes's $89,788 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oneida Castle, NY
$89,792 median income
Woodlawn Park, OK
$89,792 median income
Turbotville, PA
$89,792 median income
Duncan Falls, OH
$89,821 median income
Harrison, TN
$89,753 median income
North Hampton, OH
$89,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Anacortes, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Anacortes, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 88.9% 6.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.0% White 88.9% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 1.7% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 1.1% Two or more races 6.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Anacortes compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Anacortes (this city) 17,837 $89,788
Bryn Mawr-Skyway 17,577 $90,258
Camano 17,535 $100,124
Fairwood CDP (King County) 18,437 $119,013
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Anacortes, WA?

What is the population of Anacortes, WA? +

The population of Anacortes, WA stands at 17,837 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Anacortes, WA? +

Anacortes households earn a median of $89,788 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Anacortes? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Anacortes; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Anacortes, WA safe? +

Anacortes has a total crime rate of 1589.1 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Anacortes, WA? +

A typical home in Anacortes is worth $647,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Anacortes? +

Climate normals put Anacortes's yearly average temperature at 52.8°F, 29.0 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.