Population 27,112 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Ferndale
Household size in Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.73 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.74 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.80 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
The typical household in Ferndale holds 2.80 people, slightly more than the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.73 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southwest.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.4 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.4 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.2 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Ferndale are younger than 40.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.5, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit less common in Ferndale than nationally: 10.3%, against 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Washington. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.9 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Ferndale
Renters in Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.8% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 28.8% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.3% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.1% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Ferndale is largely a place of homeowners: only 21.1% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 33.9% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 4.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Ferndale: 7.8% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across Washington. Vacancy is down 1.6 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Ferndale is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1992, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $892 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $942 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,000 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,704 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$813 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in Ferndale runs $1,704 a month at the median, utilities included, above the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in Washington as a whole ($1,875). Rent has climbed $813 a month since 2006–10, up 91%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 31.7% of the typical renter's income, just over 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 Ferndale
Bachelor's degrees in Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.1% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.6% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.2% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 33.4% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Ferndale as nationally: 33.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is lower than in Washington overall (38.8%). The share with a degree is up 5.2 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.7% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.8% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.3% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.3% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Ferndale is above the national rate: 93.3% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Washington. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.6 points, mirroring the country.
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 Ferndale
| Period | Ferndale | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.3 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ferndale runs below the national rate: 4.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 5.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Ferndale compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferndale | 2.80 | 40.7 | 10.3% | 21.1% | 7.8% | 1992 | $1,704 | 33.4% | 93.3% | 4.1% |
| Mountain View | 2.98 | 45.7 | 6.6% | 11.5% | 11.4% | 1999 | $2,325 | 41.6% | 97.7% | 1.4% |
| Marietta | 2.71 | 39.5 | 15.7% | 29.5% | 11.6% | 1996 | $980 | 26.1% | 93.3% | 7.8% |
| Pleasant Valley | 3.43 | 32.5 | 8.7% | 5.7% | 3.6% | 1994 | $1,363 | 20.9% | 87.7% | 2.6% |
| Custer | 2.88 | 37.8 | 13.9% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 1985 | $1,661 | 23.4% | 94.5% | 5.8% |
| Birch Bay | 2.38 | 48.9 | 7.5% | 15.6% | 19.0% | 1994 | $1,898 | 33.9% | 94.3% | 3.4% |
| Lynden | 2.81 | 36.7 | 6.9% | 31.9% | 5.8% | 1990 | $1,682 | 29.8% | 91.8% | 2.9% |
| Bellingham | 2.35 | 38.6 | 7.6% | 47.8% | 6.9% | 1983 | $1,680 | 46.4% | 95.1% | 5.2% |
| Lummi Island | 2.52 | 46.4 | 15.2% | 21.3% | 23.6% | 1989 | $989 | 34.4% | 95.2% | 7.7% |
| Strandell | 2.73 | 44.2 | 4.9% | 24.1% | 2.3% | 1984 | $1,146 | 21.9% | 83.5% | 0.7% |
| Blaine | 2.49 | 45.3 | 11.9% | 26.0% | 8.2% | 1988 | $1,507 | 27.0% | 93.2% | 5.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Reading, MA · Martinsville, VA · Medford, NY · Mount Pleasant, WI · Mountain Home, AR · Naranjito, PR · Olney, MD · Oxford, MI · Parrish, FL · Peekskill, NY
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 Ferndale. 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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