City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Gold Bar, WA

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

2,396
Residents
$95,296
Median income
$430,000
Median home
$2,501
Median rent (state)

Gold Bar - the verdict

Gold Bar ranks in the 75th percentile for household income and the 71st percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

75th
percentile, household income
80th
percentile, home value
92nd
percentile, median rent
71st
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: Gold Bar, WA

Washington's Gold Bar is a small town, with 2,396 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $95,296 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 6.7%. Typical homes in Gold Bar are valued around $430,000, and the median resident age is 34.2 years. 12.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 64.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 37 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 147% from five years earlier. Gold Bar reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 829.5 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $2,501 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 97.9 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

2,396 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$95,296 /yr

Poverty 6.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Gold Bar compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 75% higher than other cities
Home value 80% pricier than other cities
Median rent 92% pricier than other cities
Safety 71% 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, Gold Bar ranks #25 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

Each percentile compares Gold Bar against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Gold Bar toward the top of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Gold Bar ranks #1 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Gold Bar only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#218 of 565
61st percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 599
87th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#274 of 565
52nd percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#262 of 598
56th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#515 of 599
14th percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

75thIncome percentile
71stSafety percentile

75th percentile nationally for median household income · 71st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Gold Bar's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Gold Bar'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 53 Avg. percentile National median
Gold Bar'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 Gold Bar's home value compares nationally

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

$430,000 20th percentile more affordable than 20% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $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. Gold Bar $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 - Gold Bar, WA Gold Bar, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Gold Bar, 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 Gold Bar, WA median $95,296/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%
Gold Bar, 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 Gold Bar, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 6.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.2%

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

Population
2,396
Median Income
$95,296
Median Home Value
$430,000
Median Age
34.2
Poverty Rate
6.7%
Labor force participation
64.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
829.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
124.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
705.1
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.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,350 residents2,400 residents2,450 residents2,500 residents2,550 residents2,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,403 residents 2,561 residents ▲ +6.6%
Gold Bar's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
37
housing units authorized
Single-Family
37
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
15.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 15
2020 6
2021 5
2022 8
2023 2
2024 37

Permit volume increased 147% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.1%
Carpool
10.5%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
10.1%
Other
2.9%

Based on 1,034 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 Gold Bar sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,501/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Bryant
2,375 people
Lewisville
2,372 people
Carnation
2,476 people
Okanogan
2,477 people
Mabton
2,481 people
Bridgeport
2,307 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Gold Bar's 2,396 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Amboy, IL
2,396 people
Sterling, KS
2,396 people
Poydras, LA
2,395 people
Mendenhall, MS
2,397 people
Calabash, NC
2,397 people
Cedaredge, CO
2,394 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Gold Bar's $95,296 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Malden, MA
$95,298 median income
Edinburg, IL
$95,292 median income
Port Penn, DE
$95,287 median income
Union Springs, NY
$95,282 median income
Madison, OH
$95,313 median income
Seven Hills, OH
$95,313 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Gold Bar, 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 Gold Bar, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 74.8% 6.6% 15.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 16.4% White 74.8% Black or African American 2.0% Asian 1.2% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.6% Two or more races 15.4% 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 Gold Bar 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
Gold Bar (this city) 2,396 $95,296
Bryant 2,375 $119,371
Lewisville 2,372 $125,179
Carnation 2,476 $141,097
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Gold Bar, WA?

What is the population of Gold Bar, WA? +

Gold Bar, WA has a population of 2,396 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Gold Bar, WA? +

Gold Bar households earn a median of $95,296 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Gold Bar? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Gold Bar; 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 Gold Bar, WA safe? +

Gold Bar has a total crime rate of 829.5 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 Gold Bar, WA? +

A typical home in Gold Bar is worth $430,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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

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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.