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City · 24,362 residents · Island County, Washington

Oak Harbor , Washington

In Oak Harbor, a typical home is worth $461,200 and typical rent is $1,645 a month. Compared with all of Island County, the typical home value is 22% lower, typical household income is 16% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 28 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $461,200

    22% below the county

    18% below Washington

    • Oak Harbor
    • Island
    • Washington

  • Typical rent

    $1,645a month

    About the same as the county

    7% below Washington

    • Oak Harbor
    • Island
    • Washington

  • Typical household income

    $76,084a year

    16% below the county

    22% below Washington

    • Oak Harbor
    • Island
    • Washington

  • Households that own their home

    47%

    28 points below the county

    17 points below Washington

    • Oak Harbor
    • Island
    • Washington

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$529,335
1.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,967 a month
4.5% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Oak Harbor is in Island County. The FHA loan limit ($671,600 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Island County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Oak Harbor apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 47% of households in Oak Harbor own their home, against 75% in Island County.

  2. The typical home in Oak Harbor is worth $461,200, 22% less than in Island County as a whole ($593,300).

  3. The typical household income in Oak Harbor is $76,084, 16% less than in Island County as a whole ($90,551).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Oak Harbor

What homes there are in Oak Harbor, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Oak Harbor, but it weighs less than in Island County: 51% against 79%.

Year built

In Oak Harbor, half of the homes were built before 1990; in Island County, before 1991.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,211 a month

Island County: $2,318 a month

Without a mortgage

$754 a month

Island County: $747 a month

Owners with a mortgage

70%

Island County: 60%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Oak Harbor is $2,211 a month, near the figure in Island County ($2,318).

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Oak Harbor rose 66% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Island County (65%).

The typical rent in Oak Harbor rose 33% over the same time; in Island County, it rose 37%.

While home values in Oak Harbor changed +66% and rent +33%, the typical household income rose 37%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureOak HarborIsland CountyWashingtonUnited States
Rental vacancy 8.3%7.8%4.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.2%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room 3.1%2.2%3.5%3.4%
People per household 2.482.352.502.53
Drive alone 77%69%63%69%
Carpool 13%10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate2%3%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate4%4%3%
Work from home 6%14%20%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Oak Harbor, the rental vacancy rate is 8.3%, about the same as in Island County.

More than one person per room: that is how 3.1% of households in Oak Harbor live, near the figure in Island County (2.2%).

On average, a household in Oak Harbor has 2.48 people, more than in Island County (2.35).

To get to work, 77% of workers in Oak Harbor drive alone; in Island County, 69%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Oak Harbor?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Oak Harbor, worth $461,200, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 59% of the typical household income in Oak Harbor, which is $76,084 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $161,300 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Island County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Oak Harbor. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $16,142 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,764

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$452,847
Total interest
$651,540
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,789 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,775 a month

  • Tight

    $1,775 to $2,283 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,283 a month

    Your payment · 59%

Compared with the typical household income in Oak Harbor ($76,084 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,764
Principal & interest$3,068
Property tax$300
Home insurance$192
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$204

You need at least $16,142 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Oak Harbor and Island County

Oak Harbor is in Island County, Washington. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Oak Harbor's own numbers

Typical home value
$461,200
Typical monthly rent
$1,645
Typical yearly household income
$76,084
Households that own their home
47%
Effective property tax rate
0.78%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Island County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$671,600
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,824
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+49%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
6.3%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Island County.

Everything about Island County

Buying

Buying a home in Oak Harbor

A typical home in Oak Harbor is worth $461,200: 22% below the county and 18% below Washington. With the typical household income in Oak Harbor ($76,084 a year), a typical home costs 6.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Oak Harbor 6.1 years
  • Island 6.6 years
  • Washington 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Island County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Island County rose 117% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Island County.

Period County Washington U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.2% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +49% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +117% +113% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Oak Harbor next to Island County, Washington and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Oak Harbor $461,200
  • Island $593,300
  • Washington $564,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Oak Harbor $1,645
  • Island $1,662
  • Washington $1,760
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Oak Harbor $76,084
  • Island $90,551
  • Washington $98,141
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Oak Harbor next to Island County and Washington
Measure Oak Harbor Island County Washington U.S.
Typical home value $461,200 $593,300 $564,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,645 $1,662 $1,760 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $76,084 $90,551 $98,141 $80,734
Households that own their home 47% 75% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,596 $3,999 $4,556 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.78% 0.67% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 53% 54% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Island County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Oak Harbor

For a typical $461,200 home in Oak Harbor, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Oak Harbor's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,764a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $16,142
    Cash to close
    $29,978
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $204

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,679a month

    Down payment
    $23,060
    Cash to close
    $36,896
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $219

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,991a month

    Down payment
    $92,240
    Cash to close
    $106,076
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,418a month

    Down payment
    $69,180
    Cash to close
    $83,016
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Oak Harbor and for Island County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Oak Harbor

0.78%of the home’s value each year

$3,596 a year for the typical owner in Oak Harbor.

  • Oak Harbor 0.78%
  • Island 0.67%
  • Washington 0.81%

What Washington publishes Exemption for people 61 and older or with disabilities (Washington State Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Washington

Flood risk in Island County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Island County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
6.3%
2,573
Of those, with NFIP insurance
30%
County Washington U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 6.3% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 30% 40% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Oak Harbor

Typical rent in Oak Harbor is $1,645 a month: about the same as the county. In Oak Harbor, 53% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Island County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,824 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $35.08 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Island County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,270 $24.42 $50,800
1 bedroom $1,459 $28.06 $58,360
2 bedrooms $1,824 $35.08 $72,960
3 bedrooms $2,501 $48.10 $100,040
4 bedrooms $2,987 $57.44 $119,480

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Oak Harbor

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Oak Harbor is in ZIP code 98277.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,870: $46 more than the fair market rent for Island County ($1,824).

  • 98277 $1,870$2,560

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Oak Harbor when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Oak Harbor

HUD lists 9 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Oak Harbor. These are the largest.

  • Sag Preservation Portfolio 1 Multiple, Oak Harbor 98277 298 homes, 293 low-income · 1 bd: 157 · 2 bd: 92 · 3 bd: 50 · In service since 2019 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Brookhaven 640 SE 8th Ave, Oak Harbor 98277 110 low-income homes · Run by HA Of Island County · Average payment: $440 a month · Average wait: 63 months (360) 678-4181
  • Oak Bay Station 116 NE Barron Dr, Oak Harbor 98277 82 homes, 81 low-income · 1 bd: 13 · 2 bd: 40 · 3 bd: 29 · In service since 1997 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Chelsea Apartments 280 NE Izett St, Oak Harbor 98277 40 homes, 39 low-income · 1 bd: 33 · 2 bd: 7 · In service since 2013
  • Cambridge Cove 470 SE 4th Ave, Oak Harbor 98277 37 homes, 36 low-income · 1 bd: 34 · 2 bd: 3 · In service since 1991 · For older adults

See all 13 buildings in Island County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Oak Harbor

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Island County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man smiles on a bench outside his apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Oak Harbor

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Oak Harbor or Island County. The ones below are statewide in Washington: they work in Oak Harbor the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Washington

  • Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission 0% second mortgage for 3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage, with no monthly payments; you do not need to be a first-time buyer. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Covenant Homeownership Program

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan with no monthly payments of up to 20% of the price (maximum $150,000) plus closing costs, for first-time buyers whose family lived in Washington before 1968 and belonged to a group affected by housing discrimination, including Hispanic people. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • House Key Opportunity DPA

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan of up to $15,000 at 1% simple interest, with no monthly payments, for the down payment and closing costs of first-time buyers with the House Key Opportunity mortgage. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Oak Harbor

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Oak Harbor, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Opal Community Land Trust

    286 Enchanted Forest Rd, Eastsound · 31 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (360) 376-3191

  • Kulshan Community Land Trust

    1715 C St, Bellingham · 33 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    360-671-5600-1

  • Parkview Services

    4720 200th St SW Ste 200, Lynnwood · 36 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Cantonese, Mandarin Chinese, and other languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Workshops for new owners
    • and 2 more
    (206) 542-6644

All counseling agencies in Washington

Help in Spanish near Oak Harbor

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Oak Harbor

HUD’s record names them for Oak Harbor or Island County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • HA Of Island County Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (360) 678-4181

All housing agencies in Washington Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Island County

These cities are also in Island County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Island County Housing in Washington

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Oak Harbor, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Island County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Oak Harbor.

All guides
A father holds his baby and his young son by a white picket fence.

Questions

Housing questions about Oak Harbor

Short answers with the numbers for Oak Harbor and all of Island County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Oak Harbor?

The typical home value in Oak Harbor is $461,200, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Island County it is $593,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Oak Harbor?

Typical rent in Oak Harbor is $1,645 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Island County is $1,824.

What is the FHA loan limit in Oak Harbor?

Oak Harbor uses the FHA limit for all of Island County (2026): $671,600 for a one-unit home and $1,291,550 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Oak Harbor?

The typical homeowner in Oak Harbor pays $3,596 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.78% of the home’s value; in Island County, the rate is 0.67%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Oak Harbor?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Island County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).