Birch Bay vs Roche Harbor
Birch Bay, Washington versus Roche Harbor, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Roche Harbor 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 | Roche Harbor |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $85k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $53k |
| Home Value | $383k | $858k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $317 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.66% | 0.58% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.32% | 9.00% |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 0.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 63°F | 62°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8 in | 28.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 9.3 in | 5.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 198 days | 198 days |
| Summer Humidity | 54°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 100 days | 99 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 58.0 | 64.5 |
| Air Quality | 11 AQI | 17 AQI |
| School Quality | 71.2 | 70.8 |
| Violent Crime | 294/100k | 294/100k |
| Property Crime | 650/100k | 650/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 11,142 | 753 |
| Median Age | 44.9 | 62.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.33 | 0.13 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.17 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+52 | D+52 |
| White (%) | 77.5% | 92.2% |
| Black (%) | 1.2% | 0.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.9% | 2.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 11.7% | 4.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 8.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 104 mi | 89 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.5% | 96.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.62 | 132.80 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Roche Harbor more affordable?
- Roche Harbor has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Birch Bay's $53k and Roche Harbor's $53k. Median rent is $1k in Birch Bay versus $2k in Roche Harbor.
- Is Birch Bay or Roche Harbor safer?
- Roche Harbor has the lower violent crime rate. Birch Bay reports 294/100k and Roche Harbor reports 294/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Birch Bay or Roche Harbor?
- The median home value is $383k in Birch Bay and $858k in Roche Harbor, so homes are more affordable in Birch Bay.