Residential comparison · 13 facts
Mercer Island, WA vs Oak Harbor, WA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Mercer Island needs about $70,500 in Oak Harbor to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Oak Harbor, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $99,500 in Mercer Island.
A few differences
- Mercer Island is higher on median household income ($219,069 vs $76,084).
- Oak Harbor is lower on cost of living index (112 vs 218).
- Oak Harbor is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,533/mo vs $2,929/mo).
Mercer Island vs Oak Harbor · facet by facet
| Facet | Mercer Island, WA | Oak Harbor, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $461,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,929/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| Cost of living index | 218 | 112 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $219,069 | $76,084 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 155 days | 155 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Mercer Island, WA · Oak Harbor, WA
Questions & answers
- Is Mercer Island cheaper than Oak Harbor?
- Oak Harbor has the lower day-to-day cost index (112 vs 218 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Oak Harbor equals $85,000 in Mercer Island?
- A household earning $85,000 in Mercer Island needs about $70,500 in Oak Harbor to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Oak Harbor lifestyle costs about $99,500 in Mercer Island.