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Living in
Yakima.
About
Life in Yakima
Living in Yakima means embracing a valley town where agriculture still shapes the rhythm of daily life, but where you're building a real community rather than just passing through. The cost of living is genuinely accessible—median home prices sit around $297,600 and rent averages $1,117 a month—which goes a long way in a place where the median household income is nearly $60,000. The community here is notably diverse, with a substantial Latino population that's woven into the fabric of neighborhoods and local culture, reflected in everything from downtown's Cinco de Mayo celebration to the food scene and cultural institutions.
Yakima at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.6%
Foreign-Born
16.7%
Broadband Internet
89.2%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics16.7% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Yakima: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Yakima, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (82.3%), and 37.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.8%
of residents
65 and Older
16.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
35.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
30.0%
of households
Married Couples
39.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.65
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 37% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Yakima
In Yakima, rent runs 37% below the WA average, and home values are 47% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
47.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
95.5
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,380
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1972
median year built
Vacant Homes
4.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $358,493 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1 pts above WA average
Unemployment in Yakima
Unemployment in Yakima is 1 percentage points higher than the WA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Yakima Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.8 min avg
How Yakima residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Yakima, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 85% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field (YKM)
Regional airport · few flights45k passengers boarded in 2025
- 103 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 59% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Yakima runs 59% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
522.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,883.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Yakima Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 4 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
94.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Yakima County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Yakima County, which includes Yakima, the most common type is heavy snow, with 4 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | Frost/Freeze | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 13 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2023 | 8 | Frost/Freeze | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2021 | 8 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2020 | 6 | High Wind | None reported |
| 2019 | 10 | Heavy Snow | $2.2M |
| 2018 | 10 | Wildfire | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
11 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Yakima County, county-wide
Air Quality41 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Yakima County, which includes Yakima, is typically good — 226 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
41
Good Days
226
per year
Moderate Days
136
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Yakima County, county-wide
Climate85°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Yakima has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/41°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
64°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
42°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
8.6"
Annual Snowfall
20.3"
Hot Days/Year
38
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
109
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
72
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 27°F | 1.16" |
| Feb | 48°F | 30°F | 0.92" |
| Mar | 57°F | 34°F | 0.68" |
| Apr | 65°F | 40°F | 0.62" |
| May | 74°F | 48°F | 0.79" |
| Jun | 80°F | 54°F | 0.61" |
| Jul | 88°F | 60°F | 0.25" |
| Aug | 88°F | 59°F | 0.21" |
| Sep | 79°F | 51°F | 0.33" |
| Oct | 64°F | 40°F | 0.72" |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 0.90" |
| Dec | 38°F | 26°F | 1.41" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 1.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Yakima
Yakima has 1 hospital, averaging 1.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
1.0 / 5
Yakima Valley Memorial
Acute Care Hospitals
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Yakima
Yakima's student/teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 20.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
36
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Yakima
Public · 2-year · 2,770 students · in-state tuition $5,528 · 52% graduate · median earnings $45,860 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mount Rainier National Park, 58 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Yakima
Yakima has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mount Rainier National Park (58 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mount Rainier National Park
National Park
58 mi awayIce Age Floods National Geologic Trail
National Geologic Trail
74 mi awayPublic Libraries in Yakima
Yakima Central Library
102 North Third Street, Yakima
Southeast Library
1211 S 7th St, Yakima
West Valley Library
223 S 72nd Ave, Yakima
Cities Near Yakima
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Yakima?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Yakima FAQ
Is Yakima, Washington affordable?⌄
Yakima's median rent is $1,117/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $62,815/year. Median home value is $297,600.
Is Yakima, Washington safe?⌄
Yakima's violent crime rate was 522 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1884 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Yakima, Washington?⌄
Yakima has an unemployment rate of 5.7%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Yakima, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Yakima is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,117/month and median household income is $62,815/year. The median home value is $297,600. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Yakima, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Yakima is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from