Best for affordability: Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington looks like the easiest place here to live with less financial drag. It comes out ahead on rent burden and rent.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Olympia vs Bellingham on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 8 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
OlympiaBellingham
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on affordability, weaker on safety.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 55,733 | 85,146 |
| Elevation | 95 ft(29 m) | 69 ft(21 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $528,694 | $651,041 |
| Median Rent | $1,901 | $1,908 |
| Median Income | $73,851 | $64,026 |
| Rent Burden | 31% | 36% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Sunny Days | 257 days/yr | 253 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 61°F | 58°F |
| Comfort Score | 73/100Great | 74/100Great |
| Temp Swing | 34°F | 30°F |
| Annual Rainfall | 51"(130 cm) | 55"(140 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 5"(13 cm) | 9"(23 cm) |
| Air Quality | AQI 34 (Avg)0 days > 100 | AQI 36 (Avg)0 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walk Score | 60 | 60 |
| Transit Score | 58 | 46 |
| Safety Score | 63 / 100 | 67 / 100 |
| School Rating | 6.7/10 | 5.9/10 |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 3%Cable: 96% | Fiber: 15%Cable: 95% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 38.7 years | 33.7 years |
| College Educated | 48% | 46% |
| Remote Workers | 18% | 13% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Plan a first lookWays to plan a first visit or connect with a relevant local partner. | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Olympia | Featured Local Partner ADYour logo Partner spot available For organizations that can help someone land in Bellingham |
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