The Town FilesOak Harbor, Washington
City in Island County · population 24,622 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $461,200
- Household income
- $76,084
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 69°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 31.5
Oak Harbor is a city of 24,622 people in Island County, Washington. The median home is worth $461,200, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more of a college town than 95% of Washington towns, more seaside character than 80% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 78% of Washington towns.
How Oak Harbor 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 Oak Harbor is worth $461,200, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $76,084, which is more affordable than 28% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,645 a month. 46.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oak Harbor | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $461,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,645 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $76,084 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 46.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Oak Harbor
| People | Oak Harbor | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.8% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 21.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.5% | — |
| Work from home | 5.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Oak Harbor
July highs average 69.0°F and January lows 38.1°F. About 19.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.4 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Oak Harbor since 1950.
Severe weather in Island County since 1996
Island County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, earthquake.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: 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 |
| January 5, 2022 | Flood | DR-4635: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 8, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4593: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Island County
Island County had 18,271 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,929 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Oak Harbor itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Oak Harbor
13 public schools with 5,814 students, about 17.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Harbor High School | 9-12 | 1,607 | 19.6 |
| Oak Harbor Intermediate School | 5-6 | 758 | 16.5 |
| North Whidbey Middle School | 7-8 | 735 | 17.1 |
| Hillcrest Elementary | K-4 | 509 | 16.4 |
| Crescent Harbor Elem | K-4 | 463 | 16.0 |
| Olympic View Elem | K-4 | 440 | 13.8 |
| Oak Harbor Elementary | PK-4 | 403 | 13.9 |
| Broad View Elementary | K-4 | 376 | 14.5 |
| Special Education | PK-PK | 249 | 31.1 |
| Homeconnection | K-12 | 157 | 19.6 |
| Oak Harbor Virtual Academy | K-12 | 95 | 31.7 |
| iGrad Academy | 9-12 | 22 | — |
Towns near Oak Harbor
- Camano, WA12.4 mi · 17,356 people · home $670,800
- Anacortes, WA13.5 mi · 17,637 people · home $696,700
- Stanwood, WA13.6 mi · 7,705 people · home $593,100
- Port Townsend, WA14.0 mi · 10,148 people · home $543,400
- Warm Beach, WA15.7 mi · 2,990 people · home $671,100
- Mount Vernon, WA16.8 mi · 35,219 people · home $472,300
- Burlington, WA18.2 mi · 9,152 people · home $466,400
- Big Lake, WA19.0 mi · 2,980 people · home $666,400
Oak Harbor questions
Is Oak Harbor, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oak Harbor scores better for retirees than 34% of Washington towns and quieter than 6%. 12.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.5).
How much does a house cost in Oak Harbor?
The median owner-occupied home in Oak Harbor is valued at $461,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,084, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $1,645 a month.
What is the weather like in Oak Harbor?
July highs average 69.0°F and January lows 38.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 19.9 inches of precipitation a year and 5.4 inches of snow.
Does Oak Harbor get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Oak Harbor 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)