City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

White Center, WA

White Center's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

15,017
Residents
$82,500
Median income
$591,500
Median home
$1,472
Median rent (state)
View my watchlist

Compare or rank this city

Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

Compare with another city

Starting with White Center, WA - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for White Center.

Place dossier plate

Sheet WA-WHITE-CENTER-WA · White Center, WA 15,017 pop · income 64th pct

POP-TOWN · INC-HIGH · COL-ABOVE · SAFE-UNK · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-HIGH · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-TOWN 15,017
  • INC-HIGH $82,500
  • COL-ABOVE 107.0
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-UPPER 64th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Patterson Tract
  • HOME-HIGH $591,500
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Patterson Tract, CA (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around White Center

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest White Center on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for White Center on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 15,017.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $82,500. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

White Center - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, White Center places in the 64th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

64th
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
70th
percentile, median rent
📝 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: White Center, WA

White Center is a small town in Washington, home to 15,017 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. White Center households earn a median of $82,500 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 13.1%. Home values in White Center run a median of $591,500, and the median resident age is 37.3 years. About 34.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 68.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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 $1,472 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). The average commute for White Center workers runs 24.6 minutes, with 55.3% driving alone and 17.2% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 70.0 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of White Center's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from housing and income to comparison shortlist to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For White Center, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for local building permits, within-city Census tract profiles, FBI reported-crime rates, matched public-school count, annual population history; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

Question 1

How far does income reach against housing in White Center?

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 7.2 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 13.1%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Question 2

Which cities make useful reference points for White Center?

Within Washington, the closest population matches are Lakeland North (14,664 residents, $111,681 income); Ferndale (15,447 residents, $83,839 income); Lake Stickney (15,514 residents, $85,762 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Camp Pendleton South, CA (15,011 residents); Gloversville, NY (15,010 residents); Roanoke Rapids, NC (15,024 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

3. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in White Center?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 55.3%. The reported mean trip to work is 24.6 minutes.

Compare commute patterns →

Population

15,017 residents

Small city (10k–49k)

Median Household Income

$82,500 /yr

Above median income · poverty 13.1% (Above-median poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

High cost · BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

City profile score · White Center, WA

42/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Bachelor's+ share B-
34.2%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Household income C+
$82,500

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate F
13.1%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Cost of living F
107.0 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

White Center profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Bachelor's+ share, Household income, Poverty rate, Cost of living. Bachelor's+ shareHousehold incomePoverty rateCost of living 42 D
White Center profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Bachelor's+ share: 65/100 (B-) · 34.2%
  • Household income: 62/100 (C+) · $82,500
  • Poverty rate: 27/100 (F) · 13.1%
  • Cost of living: 15/100 (F) · 107.0 index

How does White Center compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 64% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 70% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares White Center 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 White Center near the bottom of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, White Center ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares White Center only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#297 of 565
47th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 599
0th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#141 of 565
75th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#106 of 598
82nd percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#183 of 599
69th percentile in Washington
How in-state ranks are ordered

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.

64thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

64th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How White Center's home value compares nationally

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

$591,500 11th percentile more affordable than 11% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. White Center $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

White Center's home-value-to-income ratio: 7.2×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#14,749 of 15,516
More affordable than 5% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#3,135 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)

At 7.2×, White Center sits in the pressured band: national rank #14,749 of 15,516 and #3,135 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999). Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$82,500 White Center, WA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - White Center, WA White Center, WA's median household income ($82,500) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not White Center, WA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution White Center, WA median $82,500/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%
White Center, WA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for White Center, WA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 34.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.1%

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

Population
15,017
Median Income
$82,500
Median Home Value
$591,500
Median Age
37.3
Poverty Rate
13.1%
Labor force participation
68.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
34.2%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
24.6 minutes
Drive Alone
55.3%
Carpool
17.0%
Public Transit
8.4%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
17.2%
Other
1.4%

Based on 8,064 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Washington statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $188

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Washington at $188 (electricity about $85 , water and sewer about $55 ).

These are Washington statewide averages, not a meter reading for White Center. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Washington's BEA cost-of-living index is 107.0 (Above Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around White Center is $1,472/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Washington statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 70.0 / 100 (High).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Washington statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county White Center sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How White Center compares to similar-size Washington cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
White Center (this city) 15,017 $82,500
Lakeland North 14,664 $111,681
Ferndale 15,447 $83,839
Lake Stickney 15,514 $85,762
Primary sources on this page

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

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

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

Browse all city profiles → · Explore city rankings →

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

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.

Share or download this profile