Signals
Ellensburg
Centralia
Growth
74 · Top 14%
vs63 · Top 29%
Climate
66 · Bottom 49%
vs74 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 9%
vs16 · Bottom 7%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 5%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Access
62 · Bottom 25%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 36%
vs48 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Ellensburg | Centralia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,172 | 85,154 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,804 | $74,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,661 | $36,049 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 21/sq mi | 35/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $497,400 | $385,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,341 | $1,097 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 75.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.0% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 12.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 367 | 321 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 3.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.7% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 35°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 42.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Ellensburg
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, avalanche, earthquake.
Centralia
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Your best match
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Ellensburg
54
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Area Score
Centralia
57
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Area Score
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Full profiles: Ellensburg, WA Micro Area · Centralia, WA Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology