City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Port Orchard, WA

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

16,398
Residents
$81,472
Median income
$492,000
Median home
$2,031
Median rent (state)

Port Orchard - the verdict

Port Orchard ranks in the 63rd percentile for household income and the 13th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

63rd
percentile, household income
84th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
13th
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: Port Orchard, WA

Washington's Port Orchard is a small town, with 16,398 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Port Orchard households earn a median of $81,472 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.0%. Home values in Port Orchard run a median of $492,000, and the median resident age is 32.9 years. 32.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 427 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 336% from five years earlier. Port Orchard's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3286.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,031 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 92.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

16,398 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$81,472 /yr

Poverty 10.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Port Orchard compare to other US cities?

Where Port Orchard sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 84% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities
Safety 13% 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, Port Orchard ranks #122 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 Port Orchard 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 Port Orchard toward the top of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Port Orchard ranks #80 - the 75th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Port Orchard only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#306 of 565
46th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#80 of 599
75th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#205 of 565
64th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#159 of 598
73rd percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#209 of 599
65th 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.

63rdIncome percentile
13thSafety percentile

63rd percentile nationally for median household income · 13th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Port Orchard's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Port Orchard'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 31 Avg. percentile National median
Port Orchard'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 Port Orchard's home value compares nationally

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

$492,000 16th percentile more affordable than 16% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Port Orchard $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 - Port Orchard, WA Port Orchard, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Port Orchard, 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 Port Orchard, WA median $81,472/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%
Port Orchard, 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 Port Orchard, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.9%

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

Population
16,398
Median Income
$81,472
Median Home Value
$492,000
Median Age
32.9
Poverty Rate
10.0%
Labor force participation
52.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3286.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
388.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2898.0
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
18
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,000 residents16,000 residents18,000 residents20,000 residents22,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 15,615 residents 19,839 residents ▲ +27.1%
Port Orchard's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
427
housing units authorized
Single-Family
344
detached homes
Multifamily
83
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
26
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 98
2020 259
2021 565
2022 484
2023 521
2024 427

Permit volume increased 336% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.7%
Carpool
10.1%
Public Transit
7.0%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
9.2%
Other
2.0%

Based on 7,255 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 Port Orchard sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$2,031/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
92.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Sunnyside
16,329 people
Lynden
16,025 people
Washougal
16,945 people
Aberdeen
17,040 people
West Richland
17,126 people
Lake Stickney
15,514 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Port Orchard's 16,398 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Dyer, IN
16,400 people
Brownsville, FL
16,391 people
Crawfordsville, IN
16,408 people
Buffalo, MN
16,388 people
Rye, NY
16,410 people
Mastic Beach, NY
16,382 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Port Orchard's $81,472 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

West Homestead, PA
$81,477 median income
Red Oak, NC
$81,464 median income
Manheim, PA
$81,484 median income
Quinebaug, CT
$81,458 median income
Donnelly, MN
$81,458 median income
Fox Lake, MT
$81,458 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Port Orchard, 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 Port Orchard, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 73.6% 15.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.7% White 73.6% Black or African American 1.6% Asian 4.5% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 2.4% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 15.3% 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 Port Orchard 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
Port Orchard (this city) 16,398 $81,472
Sunnyside 16,329 $53,350
Lynden 16,025 $94,869
Washougal 16,945 $100,916
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Port Orchard, WA?

What is the population of Port Orchard, WA? +

The population of Port Orchard, WA stands at 16,398 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Port Orchard, WA? +

In Port Orchard, the typical household earns $81,472 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Port Orchard? +

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

Port Orchard has a total crime rate of 3286.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Port Orchard, WA? +

A typical home in Port Orchard is worth $492,000, 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.