Moving to
East Wenatchee.

All East Wenatchee data Compare East Wenatchee

14,199people live here $77,558median household incomeNear US average $1,327median rent per monthNear US average $429,200median home value▲ 29% above US

What it's like to live in East Wenatchee

East Wenatchee is a small city in Washington with crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. East Wenatchee deals with home prices well above the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, larger class sizes than the national average, and cold winters.

The good

Low crime rates
Short commutes

The not so good

High home prices
Low college degree attainment
High student-teacher ratio
Cold winters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options

How East Wenatchee compares

Median household income

East Wenatchee$77,558

Washington avg$98,141

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

East Wenatchee$1,327

Washington avg$1,760

US$1,413

Median home value

East Wenatchee$429,200

Washington avg$564,600

US$332,700

What it takes to move to East Wenatchee

Based on East Wenatchee's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,654

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,080 a year
44% of East Wenatchee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$85,840

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $42,920
Homes cost 5.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,327/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,327 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $429,200. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $429,200 · 44% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

5.2% county unemployment

Unemployment in Douglas County is 5.2%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Douglas County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 66% below US

111 violent crimes per 100k

Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.

Property crime 1620/100k · East Wenatchee Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 23% below US

20 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

81%

Carpool

7.8%

Work from home

7.3%

Public transit

2.5%

Other

0.9%

Walk

0.4%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 27°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 45% below US

20% bachelor's degree or higher

This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.

Schools

9 public schools inside the boundary

There are 9 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Mount Rainier National Park (77 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

East Wenatchee's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,327/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes.

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