CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

48.35° N · 122.65° W · GEOID 5378155

Whidbey Island Station

Island County, Washington · part of the Oak Harbor, WA metro

Limited data population under 5,000, core figures borrowed from county or metro: median_home_value

WashingtonWhidbey Island Station, WAWhidbey Island StationWhidbey Island Station

The short answer

Whidbey Island Station is home to 2,027 people. Median household income is $45,625 a year and median rent is $1,875 a month, 49.3% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). That is above the usual 30% line for cost burden. The median home is valued at $593,300, about 13.0x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,875
37% above the median place
Median household income
$45,625
43% below the median place
Median home value
$593,300
86% above the median place
Unemployment
4.3%
12% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Whidbey Island Station

  • Renters occupy 100% of homes, more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 190 Washington places.
  • The median home is worth 13 years of the median household's income, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 190 Washington places.
  • The median rent takes 49.3% of the median household's income, a bigger share than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 190 Washington places.
  • Households average 1.61 people, smaller than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 190 Washington places.
  • The median resident is 22 years old, younger than in 99% of places its size. It is the lowest of 190 Washington places.
01

Moving to Whidbey Island Station

Island County gains about 1.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in6,927
Moved out6,837
Net+90

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Washington, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within WashingtonOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$89K
Leavers$73K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Island County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
7.5% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 3.0% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Island County report $89,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $72,600, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$75,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,875 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,318 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $593,300.
Getting to work
7 minutes each way on average; 14.1% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Lakewood, NJ matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
7.5%
32% above the median place
Moved from another state1
3.0%
52% above the median place
Income of households moving in5
$89,176
26% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureWhidbey Island StationAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year17.5%32% above
Moved from another state1County figure3.0%52% above
Net movers per 1,000 people5County figure1.2above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in5County figure$89,17626% above
Income of households moving out5County figure$72,5523% above
02

What it costs to live here

Homeownership is 0.0%, below the median place (median 66.4%).

Whidbey Island Station49.3%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$75,000
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
49.3%
142% above the median place
Home price to income
13.0x
242% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
49%
well over the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$23,500
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Whidbey Island Station, $1,875 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Whidbey Island Station, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Dahlonega, GA18.9% vs 49.3%n/aCompare
Northchase, NC27.6% vs 49.3%n/aCompare
Laurel Bay, SC32.1% vs 49.3%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Whidbey Island Station.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Whidbey Island Station? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Homeownership1
0.0%
below the median place (median 66.4%)
Renters paying 30%+1
69.2%
37% above the median place
Median year built1
1957
1% below the median place
All 14 cost and housing measures
MeasureWhidbey Island StationAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,87537% above
Rent to income149.3%142% above
Property tax rate10.7%26% below
Home price to income113.0x242% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,82413% above
Property tax paid (median)1County figure$3,99923% above
Median home value1County figure$593,30086% above
Home prices, 1-year change3County figure2.2%31% below
Home prices, 5-year change3County figure48.7%5% below
Homeownership10.0%below (median 66.4%)
Renters paying 30%+169.2%37% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1County figure$2,31824% above
Vacant homes1County figure15.8%124% above
Median year built119571% below
03

Work and pay

Mean commute is 7 min, 74% below the median place.

Mean commute1
7 min
74% below the median place
Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Median household income1
$45,625
43% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureWhidbey Island StationAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$45,62543% below
Income per person1$27,16032% below
Unemployment1County figure4.3%12% below
Average annual pay4County figure$64,7842% below
Pay growth, 1 year4County figure9.9%168% above
Jobs4County figure18,14088% below
Poverty rate1County figure7.7%29% below
Mean commute17 min74% below
Works from home1County figure14.1%13% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Household size is 1.6, 36% below the median place.

Household size1
1.6
36% below the median place
Median age1
22.0
44% below the median place
High school or higher1
98.0%
6% above the median place
All 8 people measures
MeasureWhidbey Island StationAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population12,0276646th largest
Median age122.044% below
Bachelor's or higher1County figure36.6%14% above
High school or higher198.0%6% above
Household size11.636% below
Born abroad110.1%14% above
No health insurance1County figure4.5%30% below
Homes with broadband189.8%3% below
05

Life in Whidbey Island Station

16 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents19.7 +94%
Playgrounds per 10k9.9 +5%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k9.9 −11%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails0 km −100%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi1.4 6.5×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars18.1 −13%
Shops25.8 −15%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.8 +41%
Doctors' offices and clinics13.5 −33%
Child care centers1.4 −39%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Child care centers per 10k6
1.4
39% below the median place
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k6
13.5
33% below the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k6
5.8
41% above the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasureWhidbey Island StationAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools9County figure26189% above
Public school students9County figure8,56175% above
Students per teacher9County figure17.614% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k6County figure18.113% below
Shops per 10k6County figure25.815% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k6County figure5.841% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k6County figure13.533% below
Child care centers per 10k6County figure1.439% below
Parks per 10k719.794% above
Playgrounds per 10k79.95% above
Grocery stores per 10k70.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k79.911% below
Libraries per 10k70.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails70.0below (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi71.4above (median 0.2)
National Register listings8County figure1623% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

July average high is 73°F, 16% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Whidbey Island Station. Larger places are fetched first.

July average high10
73°F
16% below the median place
Tornado risk11
11.3
86% below the median place
Heat wave risk11
29.7
67% below the median place
All 8 weather and risk measures
MeasureWhidbey Island StationAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high10County figure73°F16% below
January average low10County figure36°F41% above
Average temperature10County figure51°F7% below
Annual precipitation10County figure27.6 in37% below
Natural hazard risk11County figure78.016% below
Tornado risk11County figure11.386% below
Wildfire risk11County figure35.442% below
Heat wave risk11County figure29.767% below
08

Whidbey Island Station in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 50% of the median income in 2030, up from 49% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,875/mo (2024)$2,460/mo$2,020 to $2,990/mo+4.6%
Median household income$45,625 (2024)$58,500$49,500 to $69,500+4.2%

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Whidbey Island Station

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Lakewood, NJ$1,718$56,968Compare
College Park, MD$1,912$69,721Compare
Port Royal, SC$1,726$74,870Compare
Ellensburg, WA$1,340$55,438Compare
Ellensburg, WAPort Royal, SCCollege Park, MDLakewood, NJWhidbey Island Station, WAWhidbey Island StationLakewoodCollege ParkPort RoyalEllensburgWhidbey Island StationLakewoodCollege ParkPort RoyalEllensburg

Common questions

Is Whidbey Island Station a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Renters occupy 100% of homes, more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the lowest of 190 Washington places. The median home is worth 13 years of the median household's income, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 190 Washington places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Whidbey Island Station expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 49.3% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a heavier load here than usual. The median home is valued at $593,300.

What salary do you need to live in Whidbey Island Station?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $75,000 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Whidbey Island Station?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Lakewood, NJ, College Park, MD, Port Royal, SC and Ellensburg, WA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  4. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  5. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  6. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  7. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  8. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  9. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  10. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  11. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Whidbey Island Station with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Whidbey Island Station itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/whidbey-island-station-washington

Citytistics. “Whidbey Island Station, Washington.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/whidbey-island-station-washington/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.