1st Advantage MortgageThe median Clark County household earns $97,536, and 8% of residents live below the poverty line. Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Washington before sharing details.
On this page
- A quick profile of Clark County
- What it costs to live in Clark County
- Income in Clark County compared with Washington
- Employment and commuting in Clark County
- How Clark County compares with nearby counties
- Cities, towns and CDPs in Clark County
- People and households in Clark County
- What the numbers mean for Clark County borrowers
- Budget math at the Clark County median
- Before you sign
- Checking a lender's license in Washington
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Clark County
With an estimated 516,959 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Clark County ranks 5th of 39 in Washington for population. Packed into 629 square miles, that is close to 823 residents for every square mile of land. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. Vancouver is the biggest of its 27 Census places, at roughly 195,300 people (38% of the county total).
What it costs to live in Clark County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,748 in Clark County versus $1,760 statewide. 51% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 22% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $522,900, about 5.4 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 66%. Half the housing stock was built before 1993.
| Housing | Clark County | Washington statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,748/mo | $1,760/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $522,900 | $564,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 66% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 51% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 30% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 4% | 7% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Income in Clark County compared with Washington
Clark County households have a median income of $97,536 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 5th of 39 in Washington.
| Yearly household income | Clark County | Gap to Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 13.8% | -2.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.3% | +2.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 33.9% | +3.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 15.0% | -3.5 pts |
Some 14% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 49% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 8.0%, 2 points lower than the state's 9.9%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.431 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $97,536 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Employment and commuting in Clark County
Education and health care employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; professional and administrative services is next with 12%. Compared with Washington, the county leans toward transportation, warehousing and utilities (8% against 6%). The survey's unemployment rate for Clark County averages 5.3% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.1%). Long commutes are the exception here: 12% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 4.7% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Sector | Clark County | Compared with Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.5% | -0.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.8% | -2.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.1% | +2.1 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.8% | -0.7 pts |
| Construction | 8.7% | +1.7 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.2% | +2.3 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
How Clark County compares with nearby counties
Multnomah County is closest, 16 miles from center to center; the sixth, Hood River County, is 44 miles off. 1 of the six report a higher median household income than Clark County; Washington County is highest at $107,772 and Cowlitz County lowest at $76,531. The list crosses into Oregon, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County | - | $97,536 | $1,748/mo | 66% |
| Multnomah County, OR | 16 mi | $88,766 | $1,646/mo | 53% |
| Cowlitz County, WA | 31 mi | $76,531 | $1,206/mo | 68% |
| Columbia County, OR | 31 mi | $87,458 | $1,373/mo | 76% |
| Skamania County, WA | 31 mi | $93,265 | $1,068/mo | 80% |
| Washington County, OR | 33 mi | $107,772 | $1,849/mo | 61% |
| Hood River County, OR | 44 mi | $88,947 | $1,417/mo | 69% |
Cities, towns and CDPs in Clark County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 27 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 88% of Clark County residents live in one of the 27. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $81,193 in Woodland to $165,208 in Felida. City guides exist for the linked Clark County places; everyone else in the county can use this page.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | city | 195,300 | $81,338 | $1,702 | 11 mi |
| Orchards | CDP | 29,438 | $100,146 | $1,784 | 6 mi |
| Camas | city | 27,007 | $141,126 | $2,090 | 12 mi |
| Hazel Dell | CDP | 23,237 | $86,305 | $1,753 | 10 mi |
| Battle Ground | city | 21,886 | $104,977 | $1,576 | 3 mi |
| Five Corners | CDP | 21,194 | $106,192 | $2,111 | 7 mi |
| Salmon Creek | CDP | 20,017 | $111,631 | $1,631 | 10 mi |
| Washougal | city | 17,490 | $106,368 | $1,701 | 15 mi |
| Ridgefield | city | 13,408 | $116,389 | $2,335 | 10 mi |
| Minnehaha | CDP | 11,482 | $100,668 | $1,711 | 10 mi |
| Felida | CDP | 10,841 | $165,208 | $2,419 | 12 mi |
| Mount Vista | CDP | 10,764 | $100,293 | $2,041 | 7 mi |
| Barberton | CDP | 8,668 | $133,990 | $1,913 | 7 mi |
| Lake Shore | CDP | 6,978 | $130,729 | $2,241 | 11 mi |
People and households in Clark County
33% of Clark County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 6.7%, against 6.3% for Washington.
| Indicator | Clark County | All of Washington | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.1 | 38.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 33.3% | 39.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.4% | 7.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.7% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.7% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 19.1% | 19.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.3% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Clark County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 43.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.5% |
| 60+ min | 5.9% |
What the numbers mean for Clark County borrowers
Where the Clark County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Strong incomes, long terms. 49% of Clark County households earn $100,000+. The risk is a term that outlasts the need.
- 51% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
Budget math at the Clark County median
Here is the Clark County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Start: $8,128 gross per month ($97,536 / 12)
- Median rent: $1,748, or 22 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,178 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,747 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Clark County's.
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- A Washington license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Lock paid-off cards after consolidating so balances stay at zero.
Checking a lender's license in Washington
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Clark County borrowers answers to the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Washington state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
City guides inside Clark County, and the statewide guide:
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Clark County?
$97,536 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $98,141 for Washington. It ranks 5th of 39 in the state.
How much is rent in Clark County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,748 a month; 51% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Which towns does the Clark County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 27 Census places: Vancouver, Orchards, Camas, Hazel Dell, Battle Ground.
Can Clark County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Washington county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who regulates personal lenders for Clark County residents?
The Washington State Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Washington; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.