Ferndale, Washington
Among the top 12% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 24% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B+, better than 72% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 73% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 55% of US places
- top 1% for air quality
- top 7% for school quality
- bottom 6% for sales tax
Ferndale is a town in Washington with about 15,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include air quality, school quality, and income tax. It rates lower on property crime and sales tax.
- The median home value in Ferndale is $429k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Ferndale is $82k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Ferndale is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Ferndale has a violent crime rate of 879/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Ferndale is 21 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
cool
cold
72%38%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.9 in1.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$82k74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$53kbetter than 23% of US places
Home Value$429k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 21% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 10% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.64%better than 77% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden6.43%better than 88% of US places
Unemployment3.3%better than 56% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)63°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation42.1 in51st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.4 inbetter than 71% of US places
Sunny Days198 daysbetter than 20% of US places
Summer Humidity54°Fbetter than 85% of US places
Comfortable Days100 daysbetter than 87% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk60.6better than 57% of US places
Air Quality13 AQIbetter than 99% of US places
School Quality100.0better than 93% of US places
Violent Crime879/100kbetter than 42% of US places
Property Crime2795/100kbetter than 8% of US places
Community
Population15,13091st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age32.915th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3872nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9031st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+523rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)72.4%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.2%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)13.3%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.7%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.3%83rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 79% of US places
Walkability7.7/20better than 70% of US places
Airport Distance98 mibetter than 38% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.1%better than 73% of US places
Amenities Nearby36.35better than 32% of US places
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 56% of US places
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ferndale an affordable place to live?
- Ferndale is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $53k, better than 23% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Ferndale safe?
- Ferndale is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 879/100k (better than 42%). Property crime is 2795/100k.
- What is the weather like in Ferndale?
- Ferndale averages 63°F in July and 41°F in January, with 42.1 in of annual precipitation and about 198 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Ferndale?
- Public-school quality in Ferndale is above average, scoring better than 93% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Ferndale?
- The average one-way commute in Ferndale is 21 min.