Moving to
Walla Walla.

All Walla Walla data Compare Walla Walla

33,925people live here $66,748median household income▼ 17% below US $1,323median rent per monthNear US average $393,600median home value▲ 18% above US

What it's like to live in Walla Walla

Walla Walla is a small city in Washington with commutes that run shorter than most cities, air quality that stays clean most of the year, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Walla Walla deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.

The good

Short commutes
Clean air
Average class sizes

The not so good

Below-average household incomes
Crime above national average
High rent burden for renters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options

How Walla Walla compares

Median household income

Walla Walla$66,748

Washington avg$98,141

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Walla Walla$1,323

Washington avg$1,760

US$1,413

Median home value

Walla Walla$393,600

Washington avg$564,600

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Walla Walla

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

To rent

$2,646

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

Income to keep rent under 30%: $52,920 a year
51% of Walla Walla renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$78,720

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $39,360
Homes cost 5.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,323/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,323 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $393,600. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $393,600 · 51% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

4.3% unemployment

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

City-level (BLS)

Safety▲ 22% above US

402 violent crimes per 100k

Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.

Property crime 1636/100k · Walla Walla Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 51% below US

13 min average commute

Commutes run short here, averaging 12.8 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; 13% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

67%

Work from home

13%

Walk

8.1%

Carpool

7.1%

Other

3.6%

Public transit

0.5%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 86°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 31°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, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▼ 23% below US

28% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

16 public schools inside the boundary

There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. 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 Whitman Mission National Historic Site (6 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Walla Walla's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and air quality that stays clean most of the year; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,323/mo) equals 24% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people who want short commutes.

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