City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Poulsbo, WA

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

11,962
Residents
$95,774
Median income
$574,900
Median home
$2,031
Median rent (state)

Poulsbo - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Poulsbo lands in the 75th percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

75th
percentile, household income
88th
percentile, home value
84th
percentile, median rent
36th
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: Poulsbo, WA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 11,962 residents in Poulsbo, a small town within Washington. Poulsbo households earn a median of $95,774 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 8.0%. Typical homes in Poulsbo are valued around $574,900, and the median resident age is 43.2 years. About 48.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 51.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 104 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 121% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1847.0 in FBI UCR data, near the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $2,031 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Poulsbo report an average commute of 20.7 minutes, with 58.5% driving alone and 21.5% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 92.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

11,962 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$95,774 /yr

Poverty 8.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Poulsbo compare to other US cities?

Poulsbo measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 75% higher than other cities
Home value 88% pricier than other cities
Median rent 84% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% 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, Poulsbo ranks #69 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 Poulsbo against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Poulsbo toward the top of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Poulsbo ranks #82 - the 86th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Poulsbo only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#214 of 565
62nd percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#80 of 599
75th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#152 of 565
73rd percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#217 of 598
63rd percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#82 of 599
86th 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
36thSafety percentile

75th percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Poulsbo's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Poulsbo'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 42 Avg. percentile National median
Poulsbo'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 Poulsbo's home value compares nationally

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

$574,900 12th percentile more affordable than 12% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Poulsbo $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 - Poulsbo, WA Poulsbo, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Poulsbo, 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 Poulsbo, WA median $95,774/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%
Poulsbo, 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 Poulsbo, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 48.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 51.1%

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

Population
11,962
Median Income
$95,774
Median Home Value
$574,900
Median Age
43.2
Poverty Rate
8.0%
Labor force participation
51.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
48.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1847.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
155.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1691.7
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,500 residents12,000 residents12,500 residents13,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,959 residents 12,749 residents ▲ +6.6%
Poulsbo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
104
housing units authorized
Single-Family
63
detached homes
Multifamily
41
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 47
2020 50
2021 134
2022 139
2023 242
2024 104

Permit volume increased 121% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.7 minutes
Drive Alone
58.5%
Carpool
11.6%
Public Transit
5.9%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
21.5%
Other
0.7%

Based on 5,483 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 Poulsbo 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

Prairie Ridge
12,054 people
Minnehaha
12,080 people
Gig Harbor
12,202 people
East Renton Highlands
12,241 people
Lake Tapps
12,360 people
Liberty Lake
12,435 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Poulsbo's 11,962 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Inwood, NY
11,964 people
Red Bank, TN
11,960 people
Lanham, MD
11,956 people
Fenton, MI
11,950 people
Woodward, OK
11,976 people
Gladstone, OR
11,986 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Poulsbo's $95,774 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Carnot-Moon, PA
$95,777 median income
Waipio Acres, HI
$95,781 median income
Woods Bay, MT
$95,781 median income
Evanston, IL
$95,766 median income
Reinholds, PA
$95,765 median income
Toms River, NJ
$95,759 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Poulsbo, 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 Poulsbo, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 80.4% 11.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.9% White 80.4% Black or African American 2.5% Asian 2.7% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.5% Some other race 2.2% Two or more races 11.1% 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 Poulsbo 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
Poulsbo (this city) 11,962 $95,774
Prairie Ridge 12,054 $110,795
Minnehaha 12,080 $108,203
Gig Harbor 12,202 $106,042
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Poulsbo, WA?

What is the population of Poulsbo, WA? +

Poulsbo, WA has a population of 11,962 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Poulsbo, the typical household earns $95,774 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Poulsbo? +

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

Poulsbo has a total crime rate of 1847.0 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Poulsbo, WA? +

A typical home in Poulsbo is worth $574,900, 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.