City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Chehalis, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Chehalis - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

7,536
Residents
$68,021
Median income
$330,800
Median home
$1,960
Median rent (state)

Chehalis - the verdict

Nationally, Chehalis sits in the 47th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

47th
percentile, household income
69th
percentile, home value
81st
percentile, median rent
6th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Chehalis, WA

Washington's Chehalis is a small town, with 7,536 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $68,021 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.3%. Home values in Chehalis run a median of $330,800, and the median resident age is 34.1 years. About 24.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 57.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 55 residential building permits were authorized in Chehalis (Stable), up 2% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Chehalis's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4300.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Washington at 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,960 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 94.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

7,536 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$68,021 /yr

Poverty 8.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Chehalis compare to other US cities?

Chehalis measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 47% higher than other cities
Home value 69% pricier than other cities
Median rent 81% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Washington and the picture shifts: Chehalis ranks #141 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Chehalis against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Median Home Value sits close to the middle of Washington's city distribution

Among the 565 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Chehalis ranks #369 - the 35th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Chehalis only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#395 of 565
30th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#205 of 599
61st percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#369 of 565
35th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#207 of 598
65th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#324 of 599
46th percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

47thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

47th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Chehalis's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Chehalis's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 26 Avg. percentile National median
Chehalis's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Chehalis's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$330,800 31st percentile more affordable than 31% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Chehalis $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Chehalis, WA Chehalis, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Chehalis, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Chehalis, WA median $68,021/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Chehalis, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Chehalis, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 24.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
7,536
Median Income
$68,021
Median Home Value
$330,800
Median Age
34.1
Poverty Rate
8.3%
Labor force participation
57.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
24.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4300.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
381.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3919.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,400 residents7,500 residents7,600 residents7,700 residents7,800 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,489 residents 7,764 residents ▲ +3.7%
Chehalis's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
55
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
44
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 54
2020 45
2021 7
2022 2
2023 11
2024 55

Permit volume increased 2% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.0%
Carpool
15.2%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
5.4%
Work from Home
8.6%

Based on 3,077 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Chehalis sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,960/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

North Bend
7,745 people
Clarkston
7,240 people
Waller
7,857 people
Mead
7,184 people
Quincy
7,922 people
Clarkston Heights-Vineland
7,144 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Chehalis's 7,536 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Monahans, TX
7,536 people
Loughman, FL
7,535 people
Cotati, CA
7,533 people
Hughson, CA
7,541 people
Inverness, IL
7,541 people
Umatilla, OR
7,531 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Chehalis's $68,021 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Seagoville, TX
$68,020 median income
Hope, IN
$68,015 median income
Lavalette, WV
$68,015 median income
Laplace, LA
$68,028 median income
Painted Post, NY
$68,009 median income
South Salt Lake, UT
$68,035 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Chehalis, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Chehalis, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 78.5% 14.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 15.2% White 78.5% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 0.6% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.3% Two or more races 14.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Chehalis compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Chehalis (this city) 7,536 $68,021
North Bend 7,745 $180,663
Clarkston 7,240 $53,092
Waller 7,857 $118,077
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Chehalis, WA?

What is the population of Chehalis, WA? +

Chehalis, WA counts 7,536 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Chehalis, WA? +

In Chehalis, the typical household earns $68,021 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Chehalis? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Chehalis; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Chehalis, WA safe? +

Chehalis has a total crime rate of 4300.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Chehalis, WA? +

Homes in Chehalis carry a median value of $330,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.