Birch Bay vs Point Roberts
Birch Bay, Washington versus Point Roberts, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Point Roberts edges out Birch Bay on overall objective livability (62 vs 53 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Birch Bay | Point Roberts |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $383k | $375k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $572 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.66% | 0.67% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.32% | 6.49% |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 2.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 62°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8 in | 41.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.3 in | 9.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 198 days | 198 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 58.0 | 42.2 |
| Air Quality | 11 AQI | 15 AQI |
| School Quality | 71.2 | 71.2 |
| Violent Crime | 294/100k | 294/100k |
| Property Crime | 650/100k | 650/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 11,142 | 1,249 |
| Median Age | 44.9 | 56.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.14 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.17 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+52 | D+52 |
| White (%) | 77.5% | 85.7% |
| Black (%) | 1.2% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.9% | 8.8% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 2.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 11.7% | 2.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | — |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 7.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 104 mi | 112 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.5% | 98.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.62 | 880.70 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Birch Bay or Point Roberts more affordable?
- Point Roberts has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Birch Bay's $53k and Point Roberts's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Birch Bay versus $1k in Point Roberts.
- Is Birch Bay or Point Roberts safer?
- Point Roberts has the lower violent crime rate. Birch Bay reports 294/100k and Point Roberts reports 294/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Birch Bay or Point Roberts?
- The median home value is $383k in Birch Bay and $375k in Point Roberts, so homes are more affordable in Point Roberts.