What it's like to live in Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island is a small city in Washington with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bainbridge Island deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, long average commutes, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Long commutes
- High student-teacher ratio
- Above-average rainfall
How Bainbridge Island compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bainbridge Island
Based on Bainbridge Island's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$4,388
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $87,760 a year
- 42% of Bainbridge Island renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$231,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $115,590
- Homes cost 6.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 55% above US
$2,194/mo median rent
Rent is expensive here, at $2,194 a month median and well above the national average. This is the kind of city where housing costs deserve serious budgeting before committing to a move. Home prices are steep, with a median around $1,155,900. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $1,155,900 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 89% below US
37 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 647/100k · Bainbridge Island Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 43% above US
37 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 37.3 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 4 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% take public transit; 40% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 75°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 35°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 112% above US
76% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (9 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bainbridge Island's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($2,194/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (40% of workers here already work from home), and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and people who dread long commutes.
See all the data for Bainbridge Island →·All Washington cities →
Other places near Bainbridge Island
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