The Town FilesFriday Harbor, Washington
Town in San Juan County · population 2,613 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $570,400
- Household income
- $80,378
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 72°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 42.6
Friday Harbor is a town of 2,613 people in San Juan County, Washington. The median home is worth $570,400, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks hipper than 99% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 98% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 97% of Washington towns.
How Friday Harbor ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Friday Harbor is worth $570,400, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.1 times the median household income of $80,378, which is more affordable than 10% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,696 a month. 59.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Friday Harbor | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $570,400 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,696 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $80,378 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 59.0% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 9.3% | — |
Who lives in Friday Harbor
| People | Friday Harbor | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.7% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.1% | — |
| Work from home | 12.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 9.9 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Friday Harbor
July highs average 72.4°F and January lows 37.1°F. About 18.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.7 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Friday Harbor since 1950.
Severe weather in San Juan County since 1996
San Juan County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2022 | Flood | DR-4635: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| February 14, 2007 | Severe Storm | DR-1682: Severe Winter Storm, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in San Juan County
San Juan County had 6,097 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,170 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Friday Harbor itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in Friday Harbor
8 public schools with 1,028 students, about 15.6 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday Harbor Elementary School | K-5 | 331 | 15.8 |
| Friday Harbor High School | 9-12 | 257 | 18.4 |
| Friday Harbor Middle School | 6-8 | 177 | 17.7 |
| Lopez Middle High School | 7-12 | 114 | 14.3 |
| Lopez Elementary School | K-6 | 102 | 11.3 |
| Griffin Bay School | K-12 | 35 | 17.5 |
| Shaw Island Elementary School | K-8 | 10 | 5.0 |
| Griffin Bay School Open Doors | 10-12 | 2 | — |
Towns near Friday Harbor
- Anacortes, WA18.3 mi · 17,637 people · home $696,700
- Oak Harbor, WA24.4 mi · 24,622 people · home $461,200
- Marietta-Alderwood, WA27.5 mi · 4,015 people · home $547,100
- Bellingham, WA29.3 mi · 91,482 people · home $627,500
- Ferndale, WA29.5 mi · 15,048 people · home $549,300
- Birch Bay, WA29.7 mi · 10,115 people · home $477,200
Friday Harbor questions
Is Friday Harbor, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Friday Harbor scores better for retirees than 98% of Washington towns and quieter than 60%. 19.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.6).
How much does a house cost in Friday Harbor?
The median owner-occupied home in Friday Harbor is valued at $570,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,378, so homes cost about 7.1 times income. Median rent is $1,696 a month.
What is the weather like in Friday Harbor?
July highs average 72.4°F and January lows 37.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 18.5 inches of precipitation a year and 5.7 inches of snow.
Does Friday Harbor get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Friday Harbor in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)