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Living in
Yelm.
About
Life in Yelm
Yelm is a community of 10,618 people in Washington. The median household income is $90,750, median rent runs about $1,626 per month, and median home values are around $455,300. The unemployment rate is 4.4%.
Yelm at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
31.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.1%
Foreign-Born
8.2%
Broadband Internet
91.3%
of households
Population Growth
+13.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Yelm: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Yelm, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (20.5%), and 5.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
29.4%
of residents
65 and Older
7.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
44.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
20.3%
of households
Married Couples
60.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.98
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 8% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Yelm
In Yelm, rent runs 8% below the WA average, and home values are 19% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
42.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,474
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2004
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $479,819 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WA
Unemployment in Yelm
Unemployment in Thurston County, which includes Yelm, is close to the WA average.
Unemployment rate
Yelm: Thurston County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Thurston County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Yelm is about 4% of Thurston County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Yelm Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute33.8 min avg
How Yelm residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Yelm, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 36% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 38 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 19% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Yelm runs 19% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
267
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,460.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Yelm Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 1 event in 2023
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Thurston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Thurston County, which includes Yelm, the most common type is flood, with 1 recorded event in 2023.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | Heavy Rain | None reported |
| 2021 | 2 | Flood | $126,000 |
| 2019 | 1 | Tornado | 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.
22 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Thurston County, county-wide
Yelm is about 4% of Thurston County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality27 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Thurston County, which includes Yelm, is typically good.
Median AQI
27
Thurston County, county-wide
Yelm is about 4% of Thurston County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate75°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Yelm has mild summers (avg high 75°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
75°/50°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
54.0"
Annual Snowfall
3.9"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
77
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
163
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 33°F | 7.80" |
| Feb | 49°F | 32°F | 5.09" |
| Mar | 54°F | 35°F | 5.68" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 3.67" |
| May | 66°F | 43°F | 2.26" |
| Jun | 71°F | 47°F | 1.46" |
| Jul | 78°F | 51°F | 0.53" |
| Aug | 78°F | 51°F | 0.96" |
| Sep | 72°F | 46°F | 2.04" |
| Oct | 60°F | 41°F | 5.07" |
| Nov | 51°F | 36°F | 8.21" |
| Dec | 45°F | 33°F | 7.85" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Yelm
Uninsured
5.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Yelm's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Madigan Amc (ft Lewis)
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available · 11.6 mi away · Joint Base Lewis-Mcchord
South Sound Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 11.8 mi away · Lacey
Providence St Peter Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.9 mi away · Olympia
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.
Education19.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Yelm
Yelm's student/teacher ratio is 19.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 27.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
27.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Yelm (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,158 students · in-state tuition $46,856 · 66% graduate · median earnings $70,376 (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, 44 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Yelm
Yelm has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mount Rainier National Park (44 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mount Rainier National Park
National Park
44 mi awayKlondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
48 mi awayWing Luke Museum Affiliated Area
Affiliated Area
48 mi awayOlympic National Park
National Park
77 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
81 mi awayEbey's Landing National Historical Reserve
National Historical Reserve
88 mi awayFort Vancouver National Historic Site
National Historic Site
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Yelm
Yelm Timberland Library
210 Prairie Park St., Yelm
Cities Near Yelm
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Yelm?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Yelm FAQ
Is Yelm, Washington affordable?⌄
Yelm's median rent is $1,626/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $90,750/year. Median home value is $455,300.
Is Yelm, Washington safe?⌄
Yelm's violent crime rate was 267 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1460 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Yelm, Washington?⌄
Thurston County, which includes Yelm, has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Yelm, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Yelm is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,626/month and median household income is $90,750/year. The median home value is $455,300. About 42% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Yelm, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Yelm is 34 minutes, which is longer 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