Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
The town was settled in 1876 and has 206 residents today.
Bay Center’s midsummer high is 67°F, below both Washington’s towns (77°F) and U.S. towns (85°F). Only one of the 286 Washington towns we compare has a higher home-ownership rate than Bay Center. The biggest park or preserve is Bush Pioneer County Park, at 36 acres. Bay Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Census counts: 174 in 2000, 253 in 2020. The archive holds 8 old photos and papers going back to 2021 and 3 maps from 1938 on.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Ordered by what stands out in Bay Center.
Expected losses in Bay Center break down as 86% from tsunamis and 7% from earthquakes. Compared with 91% of U.S. communities, expected storm and flood damage in the town is higher. Also worth knowing: households locally have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2007.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Only 9 of the 286 Washington towns we compare have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Bay Center. In Bay Center, 1% of working residents work locally. The top destinations are South Bend (15%), Raymond (10%) and Aberdeen (6%). Its middle household income is $72,000.
| Bay Center | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 1.9% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $72,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Winters in Bay Center are mild and summers cool, with plenty of rain.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Among adults in Bay Center, 44% have high blood pressure and 13% binge drink. CDC measures, 31 in all: Bay Center beats Washington on 4 and trails on 18. For adults locally, the share who have obesity is 37%.
| Bay Center | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 9.8% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 44% | 31% | 35% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Bay Center | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12.5% | 16.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 79.6% | 70.7% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.3% | 5.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
In 1 park or preserve, walkers have 0.4 miles of trail.
| Bay Center | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Bush Pioneer County Park | 0.2 mi | 36 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Bay Center is unincorporated, so Pacific County and regional agencies provide most services.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Where Bay Center’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
None within 15 miles of Bay Center; the nearest are
About 0 of every 100 Bay Center residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
CDP in Washington, United States
Bay Center is a census-designated place (CDP) in Pacific County, Washington, United States. The population was 174 at the 2000 census. The population increased to 276 at the 2010 census. However, in the 2020 census, the population decreased to 253. A post office called Bay Center has been in operation since 1876. The community was named for its central location on the harbor.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bay Center has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
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