Port Townsend's standout: it is among the most walkable places in the country. Overall it grades C−, ranked 227th of 285 in Washington. It is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns and it has 35 miles of trail. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $627K for a typical one and 8.5 times the Port Townsend area’s $74K median household income. 44% of residents are 65 or older in Port Townsend, against 16% in Washington’s towns and 18% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Fort Worden and Port Townsend Historic District. Port Townsend's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 100% of U.S. towns.

StrongestA⁺Civic life A⁺Walkability A⁺OutdoorsWeakestD⁻Cost of living DJobs & income CHazard risk

What makes Port Townsend stand out

Where Port Townsend beats most towns.

Fort Worden

HistoryA⁻

Settled in 1851

41 places on the National Register

A history going back 175 years.

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

4 times the nonprofits per person

than the typical Washington town

Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.

WalkabilityA⁺

More walkable than 99% of U.S. towns

12.7% of workers walk, bike or ride transit

EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.

Fort Worden · National Register of Historic Places

Port Townsend’s story

175 years in pictures

Fort Worden is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1851, comes before those of 94% of the Washington towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 917 in 1880, a low of 917 in 1880, 10,148 in 2020. The archive holds 29 old photos and papers going back to 1859 and 4 maps from 1939 on.

41 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1851Port Townsend is settled

Explore the history →

How Port Townsend grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Port Townsend is from typical.

How grading works

WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.1 of 20; 8% of households have no carA⁺Open →Cost of livingD⁻Open →Jobs & income$63K median household incomeDOpen →HealthJefferson Healthcare 1.1 miles awayA⁻Open →Hazard riskearthquakes tops the listCOpen →SafetyC⁺Open →SchoolsB⁻Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

OutdoorsA⁺Open →HistoryA⁻Open →Civic life10.6 library visits per resident; 15.9 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateMild winters, 72° summer afternoons, 3″ of snow–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 60.8; 53% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Port Townsend: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Port Townsend, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerPuget Sound Energy17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Port Townsend water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site

SchoolsPort Townsend School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereJefferson County AuditorJefferson County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017

ZIP code9836898368 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 Port Townsend.

Port Townsend is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Washington.

OutdoorsA⁺

Port Townsend stands out in Washington and nationally, with trail density higher than most

Port Townsend’s trail density is 4.8 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Fort Worden Historical State Park, 428 acres with 7.7 miles of trail. 13% of the land in Port Townsend is conserved.

#4for trails in WA

	Port Townsend	Washington towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	4.8 miles per square mile	0.8	0.4
Conserved land	13%	4%	4.3%

13%

conserved · 606 of 4,669 acres

35 mi

of trails · 4.8 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Fort Worden Historical State Park	7.7 mi	428
2. Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park	1.4 mi	80
3. Sather Park	0.7 mi	7

Full pagePort Townsend’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map35 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk7.7 miles of trail · Fort Worden Historical State Park Conserved land13% conserved · 606 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Port Townsend?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB⁻

Port Townsend’s public schools outperform 53% of Washington districts

Its public schools are run by the Port Townsend School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Port Townsend High School, with 383 students.

53%of WA districts it outscoresB⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Salish Coast ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5	Grades PK–5	528	–
Port Townsend High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	383	–

Full pagePort Townsend’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsPort Townsend School District Every school5 schools · Salish Coast Elementary Questions“Are Port Townsend’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation

HealthA⁻

A smaller share of adults sleep under 7 hours in Port Townsend than in most of Washington or the rest of the country

Against the 9,529 U.S. towns with household incomes like Port Townsend’s, it is healthier than 96%, so its A− isn’t only a matter of income.

26% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Port Townsend. Only 4 of the 285 Washington towns we compare have a lower share of adults who binge drink than Port Townsend. 9.1% of adults smoke cigarettes in Port Townsend.

78%healthier than U.S. townsA⁻Health Grade

	Port Townsend	Washington towns	U.S. towns
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	26%	33%	36%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	13%	17%	17%
Binge drink (CDC PLACES)	13%	17%	16%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)	40%	31%	35%

31 measures vs. Washington

15 better7 too close to call9 worse

What stands out	Port Townsend	WA
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity	6%	9.9%
Fewer uninsured adults	5.3%	8.4%
More adults who have had cancer	14%	7.9%

Jefferson Healthcare

1.1 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

58th

percentile among WA towns

Full pagePort Townsend’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsFewer binge drinkers Hospitals & doctors nearby1.1 miles to an ER · Jefferson Healthcare How adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional support Every CDC estimateBetter than WA on 15 of 31

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Climate

Mild winters and pleasant summers in Port Townsend

July afternoons average 70.8°, cooler than in 99% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35.4°.

Port Townsend has mild winters and cool summers. The July high in Port Townsend is 71°F. About 3 inches of snow falls in a winter.

3″snow a winter

	Port Townsend	Washington towns	U.S. towns
July high	71°F	77°F	85°F
January low	35°F	35°F	22°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter35–47°

Spring41–57°

Summer51–70°

Fall43–58°

Nov 11

typical first frost

Mar 17

typical last frost

+1.2°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pagePort Townsend’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 71°, January lows 35°Rain & snow3″ of snow a winter · 24 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.2° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

SafetyC⁺

More crime per resident in Port Townsend than in 64% of U.S. towns

Within Washington, it does better than 59% of towns.

36%of U.S. towns report more crimeC⁺Safety Grade

	Port Townsend	Washington towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	2.1 per 1,000 residents	1.5	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	12.2 per 1,000 residents	15.1	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Port Townsend2.1

Washington2.9

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Port Townsend12.2

Washington20.2

U.S.15.5

36th

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

59th

percentile among WA towns

violent crimes reported in 2025

131

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pagePort Townsend’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type2.1 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsSteady since 2023 Questions“Is Port Townsend, WA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C

Port Townsend faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Port Townsend.

66risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

EarthquakesInland flooding

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pagePort Townsend’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesHigh risk Flood claims4 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters1 federal disaster · Paid out in Port Townsend Get readyReady for earthquakes

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

Port Townsend has 1.2 jobs for every working resident, and 2,985 people commute in

The average commute for its 3,649 working residents takes 14.6 minutes, against 26.6 across Washington.

40% of Port Townsend’s working residents work right in town. 26% of Port Townsend workers work from home. Jobs based in Port Townsend grew to 4,449 in 2023, 314 more than in 2013.

40%work in town

	Port Townsend	Washington towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	40%	4.8%	8%
Average trip to work	15 minutes	27 minutes	25 minutes
Work from home	26%	15%	11%
Median household income	$63,000	$98,000	$80,000

Where working residents work

In Port Townsend40%

Seattle8%

Port Hadlock-Irondale2%

Port Angeles2%

Tacoma2%

8 mi

median commute distance

4,449

jobs based in Port Townsend

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: among the most walkable U.S. towns

Full pagePort Townsend’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here4,449 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work40% work in Port Townsend Commute times15 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 8 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

HousingCost of living grade D⁻

Port Townsend earns a D− for cost of living

At 8.5 years of the Port Townsend area’s $74K median household income, the typical home (about $627K) costs more against local pay than in 90% of Washington towns; that ratio is one input to its D− for cost of living.

The typical Port Townsend home is worth about $627,000, down 0.7% in a year, 7% above the Washington typical home.

$627KZillow home value

	Port Townsend	Washington towns	U.S. towns
Median rent	$1,578 a month	$1,740 a month	$1,185 a month
Households that own their home	68%	71%	73%

Typical home value

Port Townsend$627K

Washington$588K

−0.7%

value change, 1 year

Full pagePort Townsend’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsDown 0.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 10.0 years of income Rents$1,578 a month · Median rent

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Nearby attractions

Climate Pledge Arena and 61 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Port Townsend. Close and well known come first.

All 143 attractions →

Big draw40 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena

Big draw23 mi National ParkOlympic National Park3.6M visitors a year

in town LandmarkFort Worden

40 mi Stadium & arenaHusky Stadium

6 mi LandmarkFort Casey

39 mi MuseumUSS Turner Joy

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Climate Pledge Arena: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Olympic National Park: Wsiegmund, CC BY 2.5 · Fort Worden: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Husky Stadium: Atomic Taco, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Fort Casey: mikelehen, CC BY 2.0 · USS Turner Joy: Keysgoclick, CC BY-SA 4.0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Port Townsend

19pages on Port Townsend

The big questions

SchoolsB⁻Beat 53% of WA districts · 5 schools SafetyC⁺2.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA⁻Better than WA on 15 of 31 CDC measures Cost of livingD⁻$627K typical home · down 0.7% in a year Work & commuteD$63K median household income · 4,449 jobs here Natural hazardsCFEMA risk higher than 66% of U.S. communities · earthquakes

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁺35 mi of trails · 13% conserved land PlacesAttractions143 nearby · Fort Worden under 1 mi LibraryA⁺10.6 library visits per resident CollegesNorthwest School of Wooden Boat Building is 6.3 mi away

The story

HistoryA⁻Settled 1851 · 41 on the National Register Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 144 residents Climate72° summer highs · 3″ of snow

Day to day

News1 recent stories about Port Townsend WeatherHandbookZIP code 98368 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Port Townsend

Northwest School of Wooden Boat BuildingCommunity college · Private nonprofit · Port Hadlock6.3 mi$20,025 tuition

About 3 of every 100 Port Townsend residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Get outside

35 miles of trails in Port Townsend

13% of the town is conserved land, across 14 parks and preserves.

Map of trails and conserved land in Port Townsend

ConservedTrails

Fort Worden Historical State Park7.7 mi of trails · 428 acres

Directions

Kah Tai Lagoon Nature Park1.4 mi of trails · 80 acres

Directions

Sather Park0.7 mi of trails · 7 acres

Directions

Landmarks

41 places in Port Townsend on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Fort WordenNational Historic Landmark

Port Townsend Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark

Capt. Enoch S. Fowler HouseBuilt 1865

Francis Wilcox James HouseBuilt 1889

About Port Townsend

City in Washington, United States

Official town website ↗

Port Townsend is a city on the Quimper Peninsula in Jefferson County, Washington, United States. The population was 10,148 at the 2020 United States Census. It is the county seat of, and the only incorporated city in, Jefferson County. In addition to its natural scenery at the northeast tip of the Olympic Peninsula, the city is known for the many Victorian buildings remaining from its late 19th-century heyday, numerous annual cultural events, and as a maritime center for independent boatbuilders and related industries and crafts. The Port Townsend Historic District is a U.S. National Historic Landmark District. It is also significantly drier than the surrounding region due to being in the r…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1851
Area: 9.5 sq mi
Elevation: 131 ft
ZIP code: 98368
Area code: 360

Questions about Port Townsend

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Port Townsend, WA a good place to live?

Port Townsend grades C− overall, better than 21% of U.S. towns and #227 of 285 in Washington. It grades A− for health, C+ for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Port Townsend, WA safe?

Within Washington, it does better than 59% of towns.

Is Port Townsend, WA expensive?

Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D−.

Post to Port Townsend

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Port TownsendWA

What should you know before moving to Port Townsend?

What makes Port Townsend stand out

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

175 years in pictures

How Port Townsend grades

Moving to Port Townsend: who provides what

The data

Port Townsend stands out in Washington and nationally, with trail density higher than most

Port Townsend’s public schools outperform 53% of Washington districts

A smaller share of adults sleep under 7 hours in Port Townsend than in most of Washington or the rest of the country

Mild winters and pleasant summers in Port Townsend

Typical low → high °F

More crime per resident in Port Townsend than in 64% of U.S. towns

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Port Townsend faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes

Port Townsend has 1.2 jobs for every working resident, and 2,985 people commute in

Where working residents work

Port Townsend earns a D− for cost of living

Typical home value

Climate Pledge Arena and 61 more within 40 miles

Everything we know about Port Townsend

Colleges nearby

35 miles of trails in Port Townsend

Landmarks

About Port Townsend

Questions about Port Townsend