Grace Church Bainbridge Island

Where We Live

 

Bainbridge Island, home to Grace Church and a majority of our parishioners, is located 35 minutes from downtown Seattle by ferry. Hourly ferry departures serve residents who commute to Seattle for work or play. Bainbridge is part of Kitsap County and is connected to the Kitsap and Olympic Peninsulas by the Agate Pass Bridge at the north end of the island.

 

Demographic studies portray a population of a little more than 23,000 well-educated residents. >> Download Document for Bainbridge Island Demographic Indicators.

 

In a 2008 survey, 93.5 percent rated our quality of life as good or excellent. We enjoy mountain views – the Olympics to the west, the Cascades to the east – dense forests, rocky Puget Sound shorelines, and small town life. Our crime rate is significantly lower than that of most U.S. cities and towns.

 

Our Island is home to the 150-acre internationally renowned Bloedel Reserve, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial, two farmers’ markets, numerous parks and golf courses, a vibrant arts community, and the new Bainbridge Art Museum. With several natural harbors, the Island has a strong boating community with several marinas and moorage facilities.

 

The median home value on Bainbridge Island is approximately $500,000; more than 75 percent of homes are owner-occupied. The median household income is $96,624. >> Download Document for Bainbridge Island Household Income Trends. In 2013 Google recognized Bainbridge Island as having the strongest online business community in the state. 

 

The highly rated Bainbridge Island School District has an enrollment of approximately 3,800 students. They demonstrate one of the highest academic achievement levels in the state. In 2012, U.S. News & World Report ranked Bainbridge High School #212 in the list of America’s best high schools. BHS also was designated as one of the publication’s best high schools in math and science, ranking 68th in the nation.

 

Grace Church has a strong connection to North Kitsap County. In fact, Grace was intentionally sited close to the Agate Pass Bridge to serve members who lived in North Kitsap, with an eye to growth in this area. Today, about 20 percent of Grace families live “across the bridge,” primarily in five nearby North Kitsap towns: Suquamish, Poulsbo, Indianola, Kingston, and Hansville. Some families commute from Bremerton, from Silverdale, or from small towns in neighboring Jefferson County. A few parishioners live in Seattle.

 

Median home values in North Kitsap County, three miles north of Grace Church, are about $290,000. Median income is about $60,000.