Kitsap County vs Whatcom County
A side-by-side comparison of Kitsap County and Whatcom County: population, income, housing, and more.
Kitsap County and Whatcom County are counties in Washington. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Kitsap County has the higher population (276,581 vs 228,432 in Whatcom County). Kitsap County has the higher median household income ($98,546 vs $80,989 in Whatcom County). Whatcom County has the higher median home value ($536,100 vs $505,700 in Kitsap County).
Population, income & housing
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 276,581 | 228,432 |
| Median age | 39.9 yrs | 38.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $98,546 | $80,989 |
| Median home value | $505,700 | $536,100 |
| Median gross rent | $1,741 | $1,465 |
| Housing units | 115,329 | 101,928 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.1% | 63.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.5% | 38.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 5.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 265,882 → 276,581 (+4.0%) | 220,821 → 228,432 (+3.4%) |
| Median household income | $75,411 → $98,546 (+30.7%) | $62,984 → $80,989 (+28.6%) |
| Median home value | $329,900 → $505,700 (+53.3%) | $345,700 → $536,100 (+55.1%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,249 → $1,741 (+39.4%) | $1,060 → $1,465 (+38.2%) |
Kitsap County
265,882276,581
$75,411$98,546
$329,900$505,700
$1,249$1,741
Whatcom County
220,821228,432
$62,984$80,989
$345,700$536,100
$1,060$1,465
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.3% | 4.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 14.6% | 14.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.1% | 13.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.5% | 13.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.0% | 12.7% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.1% | 11.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 11.8% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.8% | 11.4% |
| 75 and over | 7.3% | 7.1% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 73.6% | 76.1% |
| Black or African American | 2.4% | 0.8% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.8% | 1.7% |
| Asian | 4.7% | 4.2% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.9% | 0.3% |
| Some other race | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| Two or more races | 8.0% | 6.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.0% | 10.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.7% | 6.2% |
| High school graduate | 21.1% | 21.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 37.7% | 34.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 23.3% | 23.5% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 13.3% | 14.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 65.2% | 70.2% |
| Carpooled | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| Public transit | 6.3% | 1.9% |
| Walked | 4.5% | 3.4% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 1.9% |
| Worked from home | 13.2% | 13.3% |
| Other means | 1.6% | 1.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 71.1% | 63.3% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 6.1% | 7.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.0% | 10.0% |
| 20 or more units | 5.8% | 10.1% |
| Mobile home & other | 6.1% | 6.5% |
Poverty & households
| Kitsap County | Whatcom County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 12.7% |
| Average household size | 2.51 | 2.42 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 29 | 22 |
| Median year structure built | 1986 | 1988 |
Full profiles
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