Ocean City, Washington Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 187, Ocean City'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

Ocean City is a small community located in Washington, within Grays Harbor County. The total population is 187. It ranks as the 561st most populous out of 628 Census-designated places in Washington.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ocean City is 44.9 years. This is 17% higher than the state median of 38.3 years. 11.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Ocean City is $80,302. This is 18% lower than the state median of $98,141. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Ocean City. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Ocean City, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $241,700. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $564,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 68.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 7% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Ocean City is White (non-Hispanic), making up 56.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 39.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (39.6% vs 14.4%).

Education

16.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 60% lower 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.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ocean City, 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.