Belfair sunset, 2006
Belfair’s story
111 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 4 maps from 1938 on.
- 1915Belfair is settled
BelfairWA
A town of 4,557, settled in 1915.
Photo: Orange Suede Sofa · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,557
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$478K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$88K
median
Median age
33.1
years
Jobs based here
1,112
Balanced
TownGrade
C
#196 of 285 in WA
Is Belfair a good place to live?
Belfair grades C overall, ranked 196th of 285 in Washington, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It has 8 miles of trail and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 76% of U.S. towns. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 84% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. 12% of the land in Belfair is conserved, above both Washington’s towns (4%) and U.S. towns (4.3%). The biggest place to walk is Union River Wildlife Area, 492 acres with 2.1 miles of trail.
What makes Belfair stand out
Where Belfair beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Belfair grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Belfair is from typical.
Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listDOpen →SchoolsC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 9.5 of 20; 7.5% of households have no carA−Open →HealthSt. Anthony Hospital 12.5 miles awayB+Open →Jobs & income$88K median household incomeC+Open →Cost of livingC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market17 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 33.1; 15% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
Moving to Belfair: who provides what
Belfair is unincorporated, so Mason County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPUD No 3 of Mason County14.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBelfair Water District 1No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers94% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesMason CountyMason 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 hereMason County AuditorMason County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2024
ZIP code9852898528 100%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 Belfair.
Belfair has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns, has added half again as many jobs in ten years and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Washington.
OutdoorsA
Belfair’s grade for the outdoors is an A
Belfair’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile, near the Washington town median (0.8) and above the median of U.S. towns (0.4). 8.2 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves.
#113for trails in WA
12%
conserved · 624 of 5,213 acres
8.2 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Union River Wildlife Area | 2.1 mi | 492 |
| 2. Belfair State Park | 1.1 mi | 95 |
| 3. Sandhill County Park | 0.8 mi | 22 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
SchoolsC−
Belfair’s public schools trail 79% of Washington districts
Its public schools are run by the North Mason School District. One of its 3 schools is below, with why it’s listed.
21%of WA districts it outscoresC−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Hill ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–5 | Grades K–5 | 537 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D
Earthquakes leads a very high hazard risk in Belfair
One flood insurance claim has been paid in Belfair since 2017.
84risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
1
paid flood claims since 2017
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
On CDC estimates, Belfair is healthier than 70% of U.S. towns
Within Washington it is less healthy than 60% of the 285 graded towns: Washington sets a high bar.
Belfair beats the Washington average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 1. 68% of adults had a checkup this year in Belfair.
70%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Belfair | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 68% | 71% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 17% | 17% |
31 measures vs. Washington
0 better30 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | Belfair | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults getting cholesterol checked | 81.6% | 84% |
St. Anthony Hospital
12.5 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
40th
percentile among WA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Belfair, expect mild winters and pleasant summers
July afternoons average 75.9°, cooler than in 98% of U.S. towns; January nights average 34.8°.
Belfair has mild winters and cool summers, with plenty of rain. Belfair’s July high is 76°F. Snow is almost unheard of.
76°summer high
| Belfair | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 76°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 35°F | 35°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–46°
Spring41–59°
Summer52–74°
Fall44–60°
Nov 14
typical first frost
Mar 29
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
76°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade C+
Homes in Belfair are worth about $478K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Belfair home is worth about $478,000, about the same as a year ago, 19% below the Washington typical home. The median rent in Belfair is $1,195 a month.
$478KZillow home value
| Belfair | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,195 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 77% | 70% | 73% |
Typical home value
Belfair$478K
Washington$588K
Market temperature
17
days on market
99.8%
sale-to-list price
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C+
With 0.8 jobs for every working resident, most of Belfair’s workers commute out
Jobs based here grew from 726 in 2013 to 1,112.
Most working residents leave Belfair for work: only 5% work in town. Jobs based in Belfair grew to 1,112 in 2023, 386 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Bremerton (11%), Seattle (10%) and Tacoma (5%).
5%work in town
| Belfair | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $88,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Belfair5%
Bremerton11%
Seattle10%
Tacoma5%
Port Orchard4%
24 mi
median commute distance
1,112
jobs based in Belfair
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Nearby attractions
All 158 attractions →Space Needle and 126 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Belfair. Close and well known come first.
Big draw26 mi LookoutSpace Needle
Big draw26 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena
Big draw26 mi Stadium & arenaLumen Field
Big draw20 mi National ParkOlympic National Park3.6M visitors a year
26 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile Park
27 mi Ancient siteSeattle UndergroundSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Space Needle: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Climate Pledge Arena: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lumen Field: "Smart Destinations", GoSeattleCard.com, and Go Seattle Card Blog, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Olympic National Park: Wsiegmund, CC BY 2.5 · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Seattle Underground: Mark Hursh, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Belfair
17pages on Belfair
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Belfair
About 1 of every 100 Belfair residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
About Belfair
Census-designated place in Washington, United States
Belfair is a census-designated place in Mason County, Washington, United States. Located at the mouth of the Union River at Hood Canal, it serves as the commercial center of northern Mason County. The population of the surrounding area grows in the summertime, as the Canal and the Olympic Peninsula are popular with tourists. The population is currently estimated at 5,711 as of 2025.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 49 ft
- ZIP code
- 98528
- Area code
- 360
Questions about Belfair
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Belfair, WA a good place to live?
Belfair grades C overall, better than 29% of U.S. towns and #196 of 285 in Washington. It grades B+ for health and C− for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Is Belfair, WA expensive?
That is 5.7 years of the area's median household income ($83,270 across the Shelton, WA area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.