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Living in
Oak Harbor.
About
Life in Oak Harbor
Oak Harbor is a community of 24,396 people in Washington. The median household income is $76,084, median rent runs about $1,629 per month, and median home values are around $461,200. The unemployment rate is 4.6%.
Oak Harbor at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Foreign-Born
10.5%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Population Growth
-2.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics10.5% foreign-born, most often from Philippines
Who lives in Oak Harbor: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Oak Harbor, the largest foreign-born group is from Philippines (50.4%), and 5.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.6%
of residents
65 and Older
12.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.8%
of households
Married Couples
52.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.48
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Oak Harbor
In Oak Harbor, rent runs 7% below the WA average, and home values are 18% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
52.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.7%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$3,596
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
46.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1990
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $529,335 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WA
Unemployment in Oak Harbor
Unemployment in Island County, which includes Oak Harbor, is close to the WA average.
Unemployment rate
Oak Harbor: Island County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Island County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Oak Harbor Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.4 min avg
How Oak Harbor residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Oak Harbor, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 80% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 24 mi
Friday Harbor Airport (FRD)
Regional airport · few flights11k passengers boarded in 2025
- 60 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 61% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Oak Harbor runs 61% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
128.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
939.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Oak Harbor Police Department
Natural Disasters
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
78.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Island County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
23 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Data not yet available
Air Quality25 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Skagit County, WA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 40 miles from Oak Harbor) is typically good — 354 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
25
Good Days
354
per year
Moderate Days
9
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Skagit County, WA (40 mi away)
Climate68°F summers, 38°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Oak Harbor has cool summers (avg high 68°F) and mild winters (avg low 38°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/44°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
68°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
50°/38°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
25.7"
Annual Snowfall
5.4"
Hot Days/Year
0
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
40
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
148
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 38°F | 2.43" |
| Feb | 51°F | 37°F | 1.63" |
| Mar | 55°F | 40°F | 1.68" |
| Apr | 58°F | 43°F | 1.69" |
| May | 62°F | 48°F | 1.69" |
| Jun | 66°F | 52°F | 1.12" |
| Jul | 69°F | 54°F | 0.63" |
| Aug | 70°F | 54°F | 0.85" |
| Sep | 67°F | 50°F | 1.08" |
| Oct | 60°F | 46°F | 2.04" |
| Nov | 54°F | 41°F | 3.13" |
| Dec | 49°F | 38°F | 1.95" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Oak Harbor
Uninsured
3.6%
of residents
No hospitals inside Oak Harbor's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Whidbeyhealth Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 6.1 mi away · Coupeville
Island Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.5 mi away · Anacortes
Jefferson Healthcare
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Port Townsend
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Oak Harbor
Oak Harbor's student/teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 28.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
12
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, 6 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Oak Harbor
Oak Harbor has 6 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve (6 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve
National Historical Reserve
6 mi awaySan Juan Island National Historical Park
National Historical Park
25 mi awayKlondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
50 mi awayWing Luke Museum Affiliated Area
Affiliated Area
50 mi awayOlympic National Park
National Park
59 mi awayNorth Cascades National Park
National Park
71 mi awayPublic Libraries in Oak Harbor
Oak Harbor Library
1000 Se Regatta Drive, Oak Harbor
Cities Near Oak Harbor
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Oak Harbor?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Oak Harbor FAQ
Is Oak Harbor, Washington affordable?⌄
Oak Harbor's median rent is $1,645/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $76,084/year. Median home value is $461,200.
Is Oak Harbor, Washington safe?⌄
Oak Harbor's violent crime rate was 129 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 940 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Oak Harbor, Washington?⌄
Island County, which includes Oak Harbor, has an unemployment rate of 4.6%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Oak Harbor, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Oak Harbor is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,645/month and median household income is $76,084/year. The median home value is $461,200. About 52% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Oak Harbor, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Oak Harbor is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from