Signals
Ellensburg
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee
Growth
74 · Top 14%
vs75 · Top 12%
Climate
66 · Bottom 49%
vs66 · Bottom 49%
Physical resilience
20 · Bottom 9%
vs15 · Bottom 5%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 5%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Access
62 · Bottom 25%
vs66 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
41 · Bottom 36%
vs62 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Ellensburg | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,172 | 124,538 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,804 | $81,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,661 | $42,730 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 21/sq mi | 26/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $497,400 | $469,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,341 | $1,251 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.0% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 367 | 1,168 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.8 | 9.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.7% | 18.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 24°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 9.2" | 7.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 39.8 | 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.
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
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Ellensburg
54
Your Score
—
Area Score
Wenatchee-East Wenatchee
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
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Full profiles: Ellensburg, WA Micro Area · Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology