Moving to
Pullman.

All Pullman data Compare Pullman

32,229people live here $46,812median household income▼ 42% below US $1,062median rent per month▼ 25% below US $424,800median home value▲ 28% above US

What it's like to live in Pullman

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

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

The good

Rent below the national average
Low crime rates
Short commutes
Clean air
Highly educated workforce
Average class sizes

The not so good

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

How Pullman compares

Median household income

Pullman$46,812

Washington avg$98,141

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Pullman$1,062

Washington avg$1,760

US$1,413

Median home value

Pullman$424,800

Washington avg$564,600

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Pullman

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

To rent

$2,124

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

Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,480 a year
59% of Pullman renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$84,960

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $42,480
Homes cost 9.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▼ 25% below US

$1,062/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,062 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $424,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $424,800 · 59% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

3.9% unemployment

Unemployment here is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▼ 53% below US

156 violent crimes per 100k

Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.

Property crime 782/100k · Pullman Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 44% below US

15 min average commute

Commutes run short here, averaging 14.6 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

59%

Walk

13%

Work from home

11%

Carpool

9.4%

Public transit

4.2%

Other

3.7%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▲ 71% above US

61% bachelor's degree or higher

This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.

Schools

7 public schools inside the boundary

There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Nez Perce National Historical Park (77 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Pullman's strongest points are rent below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,062/mo) equals 27% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes.

See all the data for Pullman →·All Washington cities →