Moving to
Wenatchee.

All Wenatchee data Compare Wenatchee

35,484people live here $73,040median household incomeNear US average $1,248median rent per month▼ 12% below US $433,700median home value▲ 30% above US

What it's like to live in Wenatchee

Wenatchee is a small city in Washington with rent below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, 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. Wenatchee deals with home prices well above the national average, cold winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.

The good

Rent below the national average
Short commutes
Average class sizes

The not so good

High home prices
Cold winters
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options

How Wenatchee compares

Median household income

Wenatchee$73,040

Washington avg$98,141

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Wenatchee$1,248

Washington avg$1,760

US$1,413

Median home value

Wenatchee$433,700

Washington avg$564,600

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Wenatchee

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

To rent

$2,496

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

Income to keep rent under 30%: $49,920 a year
40% of Wenatchee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$86,740

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $43,370
Homes cost 5.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▼ 12% below US

$1,248/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,248 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices run above average, with a median around $433,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $433,700 · 40% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

4.6% unemployment

Unemployment here is 4.6%, close to the national average of 4.3%.

City-level (BLS)

SafetyNear US average

308 violent crimes per 100k

Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.

Property crime 2130/100k · Wenatchee Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 35% below US

17 min average commute

Commutes run short here, averaging 17 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 7% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

75%

Carpool

11%

Work from home

6.8%

Public transit

2.8%

Walk

2.5%

Other

2.2%

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

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▼ 20% below US

29% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 29%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

18 public schools inside the boundary

There are 18 public schools inside the boundary and 5 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 Mount Rainier National Park (76 miles away). There are 5 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

Wenatchee's strongest points are rent below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,248/mo) equals 21% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes.

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