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Birch Bay, WA
Full City Profile · Washington · Island County County
3.1
/5.0
B
Good
11,103
Population
650/sq mi density
$77,120
Median Income
$42,631 per capita
$439,100
Home Value
$534,076 Zillow
$1,201
Median Rent
34.3% income on rent
51°F
Avg Temperature
233 sunny days/yr
40
Violent Crime/100K
3,284 property/100K
B
Overall
3.1 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A
Economy
4.4 / 5.0
$77,120 median income, 2.5% unemployment
B
Affordability
3.5 / 5.0
$439,100 home value, $1,201/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
40 violent crimes/100K
B
Education
3.5 / 5.0
30.9% bachelor's degree or higher
Birch Bay experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 51°F (11°C). Winters average 39°F in January while summers reach 64°F in July. The area gets 233 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 41.8 inches. The area receives 9.3 inches of snow annually. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 28.
Temperature
39°F Jan (4°C)
64°F Jul (18°C)
| Annual Average | 50.9°F |
| 6% below US avg | |
| January Average | 39°F (4°C) |
| July Average | 64°F (18°C) |
| Sunny Days | 233 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 13 ft (4 m) |
| Area | 8.2 sq mi (21.2 km²) |
| Population Density | 650/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 48.9234°N, 122.7453°W |
| Timezone | America/Los_Angeles |
| County | Island County County |
| Nearest Airport | Bellingham International (BLI) 13 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 28.0 |
| Rating | Good |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Relatively Low |
| Risk Score | 78.0 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 36.8 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 80.4 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Very Low |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate |
| Wildfire | Very Low |
| Flood | Relatively Low |
| Hail | Very Low |
| Strong Wind | Very Low |
| Heat Wave | Very Low |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low |
| Lightning | Relatively Low |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate |
| Drought | No Rating |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low |
| Landslide | Relatively High |
| Coastal Flood | Relatively Moderate |
| Tsunami | Very Low |
| Volcano | Relatively Low |
| Avalanche | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Tsunami History
3 tsunamis recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 38.0 m (125 ft).
| Year | Location | Cause | Max Wave | Deaths | Distance |
| 2007 | CHEHALIS LAKE, CHILLIWACK | Meteorological | 38.0 m | — | 81 km |
| 1891 | WASHINGTON | Eruption + Earthquake | 2.4 m | — | 117 km |
| 1820 | CAMANO ISLAND, WA | Meteorological | — | — | 100 km |
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database. Sorted by wave height.
Nearby Volcanoes
6 volcanoes within 200 km. Closest: Baker (70 km).
| Name | Type | Elevation | Last Eruption | Distance |
| Baker | Stratovolcano(es) | 3,285 m (10,778 ft) | 1880 | 70 km |
| Garibaldi | Stratovolcano | 2,678 m (8,786 ft) | -8060 | 105 km |
| Garibaldi Lake | Volcanic field | 2,316 m (7,598 ft) | Unknown | 114 km |
| Cayley Volcanic Field | Volcanic field | 2,375 m (7,792 ft) | Unknown | 139 km |
| Glacier Peak | Stratovolcano | 3,213 m (10,541 ft) | 1700 | 150 km |
| Meager | Complex | 2,680 m (8,793 ft) | -410 | 197 km |
Source: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (GVP). Sorted by distance.
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 39°F (4°C) | 6.1 in | |
| February | 41°F (5°C) | 4.4 in | |
| March | 44°F (7°C) | 3.9 in | |
| April | 49°F (9°C) | 3.3 in | |
| May | 54°F (12°C) | 2.8 in | |
| June | 58°F (15°C) | 2.4 in | |
| July | 64°F (18°C) | 1.6 in | Warmest, Driest |
| August | 63°F (17°C) | 1.7 in | |
| September | 58°F (15°C) | 2.1 in | |
| October | 51°F (10°C) | 4.3 in | |
| November | 43°F (6°C) | 7.1 in | Wettest |
| December | 38°F (3°C) | 5.9 in | Coldest |
Birch Bay has a seasonal temperature swing of 26°F / from 38°F in December to 64°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 45.6 inches, with November being the wettest month (7.1") and July the driest (1.6").