City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

White Center, WA

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

15,017
Residents
$82,500
Median income
$591,500
Median home
$2,031
Median rent (state)

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
84th
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. The typical household in White Center brings in $82,500 a year, 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 $2,031 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 92.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

15,017 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$82,500 /yr

Poverty 13.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

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 84% 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

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 White Center'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.

64thIncome percentile

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

$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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - White Center, WA White Center, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not White Center, 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 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'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 White Center, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

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

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

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 White Center 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

Lakeland North
14,664 people
Ferndale
15,447 people
Lake Stickney
15,514 people
Bothell East
14,487 people
East Wenatchee
14,114 people
Artondale
14,051 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to White Center's 15,017 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Camp Pendleton South, CA
15,011 people
Gloversville, NY
15,010 people
Roanoke Rapids, NC
15,024 people
Monroe, OH
15,024 people
Macomb, IL
15,006 people
Hudson, WI
15,004 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to White Center's $82,500 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Patterson Tract, CA
$82,500 median income
Bogart, GA
$82,500 median income
Paris, ID
$82,500 median income
Columbus City, IA
$82,500 median income
Crystal Lake, IA
$82,500 median income
North Washington, IA
$82,500 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - White Center, 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 White Center, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 38.9% 14.4% 22.1% 14.1% 8.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 21.3% White 38.9% Black or African American 14.4% Asian 22.1% American Indian 1.7% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 14.1% Two or more races 8.6% 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 White Center 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
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
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about White Center, WA?

What is the population of White Center, WA? +

The population of White Center, WA stands at 15,017 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in White Center, WA? +

White Center households earn a median of $82,500 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in White Center? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for White Center; 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.

What is the median home value in White Center, WA? +

White Center's median home value sits at $591,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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.

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.