What it's like to live in Port Townsend
Port Townsend is a small city in Washington with crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, 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. Port Townsend deals with home prices well above the national average, household incomes below the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Clean air
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- Below-average household incomes
- High rent burden for renters
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Port Townsend compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Port Townsend
Based on Port Townsend's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,156
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $63,120 a year
- 54% of Port Townsend renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$108,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $54,340
- Homes cost 8.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 12% above US
$1,578/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,578 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are steep, with a median around $543,400. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $543,400 · 54% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Jefferson County is 5.1%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Jefferson County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 35% below US
214 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1244/100k · Port Townsend Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 44% below US
15 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 14.6 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 26% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 71°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 38°F. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 48% above US
53% 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
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve (8 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Port Townsend's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,578/mo) equals 30% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (26% of workers here already work from home), and people who want short commutes.
See all the data for Port Townsend →·All Washington cities →
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