Bay Center, WA Demographics

Population 386 · Census ACS 2020–24

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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Bay Center, WA map of median age by neighborhood
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Population and households in Bay Center

Household size in Bay Center

Household size, people per household
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–102.602.562.68
2010–142.072.622.73
2015–192.232.622.71
2020–242.102.612.65
Change−0.50+0.05−0.03
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Households in Bay Center are small: just 2.10 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.60, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.

Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).

Median age in Bay Center

Median age, years
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–1042.838.037.7
2010–1452.338.738.6
2015–1952.339.339.6
2020–2455.239.640.1
Change+12.4+1.6+2.3
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With a median age of 55.2, Bay Center is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.

Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).

Single-parent households in Bay Center

Single-parent households, % of households
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–104.6%10.9%12.3%
2010–146.7%10.6%12.3%
2015–193.6%10.1%11.6%
2020–243.8%10.1%11.6%
Change−0.9 pts−0.8 pts−0.6 pts
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Single-parent households are relatively rare in Bay Center: 3.8% of households, against 11.6% nationally.

Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).

Housing in Bay Center

Renters in Bay Center

Renters, % of occupied homes
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–1029.0%35.2%33.3%
2010–1428.8%37.3%35.6%
2015–1919.1%37.0%36.0%
2020–2416.0%36.2%34.8%
Change−13.1 pts+1.0 pts+1.5 pts
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Only 16.0% of households in Bay Center rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 46.5% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%.

Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).

Vacant homes in Bay Center

Vacant homes, % of all homes
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–1034.3%9.2%11.4%
2010–1430.9%9.2%11.4%
2015–1928.4%8.2%11.1%
2020–2423.4%7.6%9.6%
Change−10.9 pts−1.6 pts−1.8 pts
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Vacancy is high in Bay Center: 23.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.

Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).

Age of homes in Bay Center

Age of homes, median year built
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–10197119771974
2010–14197319791975
2015–19197119801977
2020–24199019841980
Change+19+6+6
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Bay Center has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1990, versus 1980 nationally.

Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).

Rent in Bay Center

Rent, per month
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–10$390$1,018$965
2010–14$440$1,127$1,040
2015–19$655$1,390$1,213
2020–24$1,121$1,875$1,571
Change+$731+$858+$606
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Rent in Bay Center runs $1,121 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent takes 18.1% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.

Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).

Education in Bay Center

Bachelor's degrees in Bay Center

Bachelor's degrees, % of adults 25+
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–1016.5%31.0%28.4%
2010–1415.3%32.1%29.6%
2015–1919.3%35.5%32.1%
2020–2426.6%38.8%35.6%
Change+10.1 pts+7.8 pts+7.2 pts
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College degrees are less common in Bay Center than nationally: 26.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.

Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

High school graduates in Bay Center

High school graduates, % of adults 25+
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–1079.3%89.5%84.9%
2010–1479.3%90.0%86.1%
2015–1986.8%91.0%87.7%
2020–2493.9%91.9%89.3%
Change+14.6 pts+2.4 pts+4.3 pts
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High school completion in Bay Center is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%.

High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).

Jobs in Bay Center

Unemployment, % of the labor force
PeriodBay CenterWashingtonU.S.
2006–105.6%7.6%8.1%
2010–1417.9%8.9%9.4%
2015–194.6%5.1%5.6%
2020–243.4%5.1%5.4%
Change−2.2 pts−2.5 pts−2.7 pts
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Unemployment in Bay Center runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.

Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).

Bay Center compared with nearby cities

CityHousehold sizeMedian ageSingle parentsRentersVacant homesMedian year builtMedian rentBachelor's degreeHigh school diplomaUnemployment
Bay Center2.1055.23.8%16.0%23.4%1990$1,12126.6%93.9%3.4%
Oysterville1.9462.61.3%7.1%48.8%1993$1,15333.1%96.8%6.0%
Tokeland2.1653.04.2%14.0%29.7%1988$1,10725.0%94.0%5.3%
South Bend2.3748.217.7%31.4%14.9%1959$1,13220.9%80.8%7.2%
Ocean Park1.9961.35.5%9.3%38.8%1986$1,25228.6%95.5%5.4%
Willapa2.4739.111.2%16.1%12.1%1965$1,17619.4%83.1%6.7%
Raymond2.2746.07.9%17.7%11.7%1962$1,08620.5%85.1%4.5%
Heather2.3545.46.8%12.4%55.7%1976$1,02118.7%93.1%13.8%
Bay City2.2944.48.3%11.8%42.7%1978$92215.1%93.4%10.2%
Menlo2.4542.522.9%11.2%29.8%1958$1,55214.1%96.1%5.4%
Grayland1.7758.89.2%17.3%49.7%1977$73522.7%91.0%17.6%

All figures 2020–24.

Cities with similar populations: Lockbridge, WV · Nursery, TX · Leitchfield Crossing, KY · Ryder, ND · Butler Center, NY · Linden, NY · Nunez, LA · Waters Bluff, TX · Wealthy, TX · Buffalo, KS

About these numbers

Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bay Center. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.

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