Housing Market Overview
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $474,999 | $471,160 | $242,182 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | 16.1% | 12.1% | 8.2% |
| Median Gross Rent | $1,631 | $1,681 | $1,342 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 6.1% | 6.9% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Island County is about 1% higher than in Washington. Rent is about 3% lower than the Washington average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2023
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2023
Both home prices and rent are rising in Island County, up about 16.1% and 6.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
Median rent in Island County rose about 51.6% between 2015 and 2023, from $1,076 to $1,631. Over the same span, rent in Washington rose about 65.7%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 5.4 yearly household incomes in Island County.
Buying the median-priced home in Island County costs roughly 24.3 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Island County. The price-to-rent ratio in Washington is about 23.4.
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $474,999 | $471,160 | $242,182 |
| Median Household Income | $88,697 | $95,177 | $78,145 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 5.4 | 5.0 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2023, the median home price in Island County rose about 168.0%, while median household income rose about 57.6% between 2009 and 2023 — the home price grew faster than income.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 62.6% | 59.1% | 58.2% |
| Rental Rate | 21.2% | 33.4% | 31.3% |
| Vacancy Rate | 16.2% | 7.4% | 10.6% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 14.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2012 | 2012 | 2011 |
Island County has a homeownership rate of 62.6%, higher than the Washington average of 59.1%. Its housing vacancy rate is 16.2%, compared with 7.4% in Washington.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Island County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.37 people | 2.51 people | 2.54 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1987 | 1982 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Island County was built around 1987. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.6 rooms, staying for about 14.0 years on average.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Island County, Washington.
What is the median home price in Island County, Washington?
The median home price in Island County, Washington is $474,999, higher than the Washington average of $471,160.
What is the average home price in Island County, Washington?
The typical home price in %s, reported as the median sale price, is %s. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Island County, Washington?
The median gross rent in Island County, Washington is $1,631 per month, lower than the Washington average of $1,681.
What was the median gross rent in Island County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Island County, Washington was $1,260 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Island County, Washington?
The price-to-rent ratio in Island County, Washington is about 24.3, meaning it would take roughly 24.3 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively high price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor renting over buying in Island County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Island County, Washington?
Both home prices and rent are rising in Island County, up about 16.1% and 6.1% a year respectively. Home prices are changing faster.
What is the homeownership rate in Island County, Washington?
62.6% of households in Island County, Washington own their home, higher than the Washington average of 59.1%.
What is the vacancy rate in Island County, Washington?
The housing vacancy rate in Island County, Washington is 16.2%, higher than the Washington average of 7.4%.