Moving to
Ellensburg.

All Ellensburg data Compare Ellensburg

20,874people live here $55,438median household income▼ 31% below US $1,340median rent per monthNear US average $404,100median home value▲ 21% above US

What it's like to live in Ellensburg

Ellensburg is a small city in Washington with crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Ellensburg deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and cold winters.

The good

Low crime rates
Short commutes
Clean air
Highly educated workforce
Average class sizes

The not so good

Below-average household incomes
High poverty rate
High rent burden for renters
Cold winters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options

How Ellensburg compares

Median household income

Ellensburg$55,438

Washington avg$98,141

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Ellensburg$1,340

Washington avg$1,760

US$1,413

Median home value

Ellensburg$404,100

Washington avg$564,600

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Ellensburg

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

To rent

$2,680

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

Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,600 a year
58% of Ellensburg renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$80,820

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $40,410
Homes cost 7.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,340/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,340 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $404,100. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $404,100 · 58% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

4.7% county unemployment

Unemployment in Kittitas County is 4.7%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Kittitas County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 30% below US

230 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 1557/100k · Ellensburg Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 33% below US

18 min average commute

Commutes run short here, averaging 17.5 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

69%

Work from home

10%

Walk

8.9%

Carpool

7.8%

Other

3.4%

Public transit

0.9%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 21°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

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▲ 15% above US

41% bachelor's degree or higher

The population is well-educated, with 41% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.

Schools

8 public schools inside the boundary

There are 8 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Mount Rainier National Park (55 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Ellensburg's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,340/mo) equals 29% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, people who want short commutes, and college-educated professionals.

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