Steam locomotive in the snow in Alger, unidentified Bloedel-Donovan lumber operation, January 28, 1913, 1913
Alger’s story
114 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1913.
- 1912Alger is settled
AlgerWA
A town of 687, settled in 1912.
Population
687
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$700K
Census ACS
Household income
$109K
median
Median age
47.1
years
Jobs based here
63
A commuter town
Is Alger a good place to live?
Alger’s typical July afternoon high is 73°F, below both Washington’s towns (77°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Only 5 of the 286 Washington towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Alger. Alger has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
687 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to Alger: who provides what
Alger is unincorporated, so Skagit County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPuget Sound Energy17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSkagit Co PUD - AlgerNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers88% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesSkagit CountySkagit County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereSkagit County AuditorSkagit County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jul 2021
ZIP codes98233, 98229, 98284, 9823298233 44% · 98229 34% · 98284 17% · 98232 6%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Alger.
Work & commute
With 0.2 jobs for every working resident, most of Alger’s workers commute out
The share of residents in Alger who live below the poverty line is 6.7%, where Washington’s towns sit at 7.9% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. In Alger, the typical household income is $109,000. The top destinations are Burlington (10%), Bellingham (10%) and Mount Vernon (7%). Half of commuters travel less than 18 miles.
0%work in town
| Alger | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $109,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 6.7% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Alger0%
Burlington10%
Bellingham10%
Mount Vernon7%
Seattle7%
18 mi
median commute distance
63
jobs based in Alger
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in Alger is inland flooding, at a high overall level
Expected losses in Alger break down as 49% from inland flooding and 27% from earthquakes. On expected storm and flood damage, Alger sits above 72% of U.S. communities.
72risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingEarthquakesAvalanches
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
6″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter34–46°
Spring41–58°
Summer51–71°
Fall43–59°
Nov 6
typical first frost
Mar 27
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy Alger is
Alger: one in ten adults worry about having enough food. Two figures for adults here: 31% sleep under 7 hours, 17% get no exercise outside work.
| Alger | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 70% | 71% | 79% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 33% | 36% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 18% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 35% |
31 measures vs. Washington
0 better30 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Alger | WA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with arthritis | 27.6% | 24.4% |
Peacehealth United General Medical Center
8.3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Alger keeps 0.2% of its land conserved
There are 1.3 miles of trail across 1 park or preserve. For Alger, the concentration of trails is 0.5 miles per square mile. One park or preserve covers 10 acres here.
0.2%conserved
| Alger | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.2% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
0.2%
conserved · 4 of 1,657 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Butler Creek Conservation Area | — | 10 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Housing
The median home in Alger sells for about $844K
The share of households in Alger who own their home: 93%.
$844Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Nearby attractions
All 34 attractions →Mount Baker and 17 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Alger. Close and well known come first.
Big draw26 mi MountainMount Baker
34 mi National ParkNorth Cascades National Park47K visitors a year
33 mi LandmarkPeace Arch
38 mi LandmarkFort Worden
35 mi LandmarkFort Casey35 mi Ski areaMt Baker47 runs · 1,475 ft verticalSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Mount Baker: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY 2.5 · North Cascades National Park: Daniel Hershman, CC BY 2.0 · Peace Arch: Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution · Fort Worden: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Casey: mikelehen, CC BY 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Alger
16pages on Alger
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Alger
Western Washington UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Bellingham11.3 mi$9,582 in-state tuitionSkagit Valley CollegeCommunity college · Public · Mount Vernon12 mi$5,400 in-state tuitionBellingham Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bellingham13.6 mi$4,431 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Alger residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Alger for work
Where Alger’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
63jobs based in Alger
0%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Alger
CDP in Washington, United States
Alger is a census-designated place (CDP) in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 507 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area. Alger is located along Old Highway 99 North Road. It is near the midway point of the route between Seattle and Vancouver, 76 miles from the former and 66 miles from the latter. A former logging camp, Alger is now a working-class exurban community and home to the Skagit Speedway. The nearby Skagit Speedway has been operating for 50 years and attracting racers from all over the Northwest and West; Kasey Kahne raced there before becoming a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. It is a 1/3 mil…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 269 ft
- Area code
- 360
Questions about Alger
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Alger, WA a good place to live?
Alger has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.