What it's like to live in Yelm
Yelm is a small city in Washington with household incomes running above the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Yelm deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, commute times longer than most cities, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Above-average commute times
- High student-teacher ratio
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Yelm compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Yelm
Based on Yelm's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,252
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $65,040 a year
- 42% of Yelm renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$91,060
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $45,530
- Homes cost 5.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 15% above US
$1,626/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,626 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $455,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $455,300 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Thurston County is 4.4%, 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.
Thurston County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 19% below US
267 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 1460/100k · Yelm Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 30% above US
34 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.8 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 75°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 24% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 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 (44 miles away). There are 7 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Yelm's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and a population that has grown fast since 2020; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,626/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Yelm
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