Bay Center, Washington Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 206, Bay Center's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Bay Center is a small community located in Washington, within Pacific County. The total population is 206. It ranks as the 555th most populous out of 628 Census-designated places in Washington.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bay Center is 53.6 years. This is 40% higher than the state median of 38.3 years. Only 10.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bay Center is $72,206. This is 26% lower than the state median of $98,141. It is also 11% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 1.9%. This is 80% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The survey records no unemployed residents in Bay Center, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $542,900. Housing costs are 4% lower than the state median of $564,600. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.5x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 100.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 57% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Every resident counted in Bay Center was recorded as White (non-Hispanic). A figure of exactly 100.0% reflects a survey sample too small to capture the community's full composition rather than a precise measurement.

Education

60.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Bay Center in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 54% higher than the state rate of 39.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 27.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bay Center, Washington is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Washington state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 628 Census-designated places in Washington. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.