The Town FilesAnacortes, Washington
City in Skagit County · population 17,637 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $696,700
- Household income
- $91,951
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 75°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 50.5
Anacortes is a city of 17,637 people in Skagit County, Washington. The median home is worth $696,700, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks hipper than 92% of Washington towns, better for cycling than 88% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 83% of Washington towns.
How Anacortes ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Anacortes is worth $696,700, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.6 times the median household income of $91,951, which is more affordable than 6% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,702 a month. 69.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Anacortes | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $696,700 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,702 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $91,951 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.6× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 69.9% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.5% | — |
Who lives in Anacortes
| People | Anacortes | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 32.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 12.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.8% | — |
| Work from home | 16.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.3% | 93.9% |
Weather in Anacortes
July highs average 74.7°F and January lows 36.9°F. About 29.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.3 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 30 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Anacortes since 1950.
Severe weather in Skagit County since 1996
Skagit County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| January 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4682: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Skagit County
Skagit County had 53,884 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,374 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Anacortes itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Anacortes
10 public schools with 2,643 students, about 18.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anacortes High School | 9-12 | 746 | 20.2 |
| Anacortes Middle School | 6-8 | 609 | 23.4 |
| Island View Elementary | K-5 | 463 | 15.4 |
| Fidalgo Elementary | K-5 | 362 | 16.5 |
| Mount Erie Elementary | K-5 | 353 | 16.0 |
| Cap Sante High School | 9-12 | 52 | 26.0 |
| Whitney Early Childhood Education Center | PK-PK | 32 | 32.0 |
| Open Doors - Youth Reengagement Program | 9-12 | 19 | — |
| Open Doors | 9-12 | 4 | — |
| Decatur Elementary | K-8 | 3 | 3.0 |
Towns near Anacortes
- Oak Harbor, WA13.5 mi · 24,622 people · home $461,200
- Burlington, WA13.6 mi · 9,152 people · home $466,400
- Mount Vernon, WA15.1 mi · 35,219 people · home $472,300
- Sedro-Woolley, WA18.0 mi · 12,421 people · home $441,700
- Friday Harbor, WA18.3 mi · 2,613 people · home $570,400
- Big Lake, WA18.6 mi · 2,980 people · home $666,400
- Bellingham, WA19.6 mi · 91,482 people · home $627,500
- Geneva, WA20.4 mi · 2,652 people · home $801,100
Anacortes questions
Is Anacortes, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Anacortes scores better for retirees than 79% of Washington towns and quieter than 45%. 32.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Anacortes?
The median owner-occupied home in Anacortes is valued at $696,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $91,951, so homes cost about 7.6 times income. Median rent is $1,702 a month.
What is the weather like in Anacortes?
July highs average 74.7°F and January lows 36.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.0 inches of precipitation a year and 5.3 inches of snow.
Does Anacortes get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Anacortes in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)