City · Washington
Chelan, Washington
Chelan, city, in Chelan County, Washington. Chelan had 4,494 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 6.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,222 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 4,350 (±29). GEOID 5311615.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
4,494
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,222 · ACS 2020-2024: 4,350 ±29
Median household income
$82,637
±$25,071 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$518,000
±$121,227 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$1,368
±$134 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Chelan and what county is it in?
Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington. It covers 6.7 square miles of land, 630 residents per square mile in 2020.
Chelan is in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 2 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Chelan, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 4,494 people lived in Chelan on July 1, 2025, up 6.2% since 2020, faster than Washington (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 4,222 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 4,350 (±29).
| Measure | Chelan | Chelan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 4,350 ±29 | 80,172 | +204 |
| Households | 1,839 ±207 | 31,520 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.35 ±0.25 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 2,867 ±250 | 38,677 | no clear change |
Chelan's population since 2000
From 3,522 in 2000 to 4,494 in 2025: up 27.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chelan as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Chelan?
The median resident of Chelan is 46.4 years old; 17.3% are under 18 and 22.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 71.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 22.9%. 19.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Chelan | Chelan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.4 ±6.8 | 40.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 17.3% ±3.8 pts | 22.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.7% ±6.3 pts | 20.9% | – |
| Male | 52.7% ±6.0 pts | 50.4% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 22.9% ±10.1 pts | 29.0% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 71.6% ±10.2 pts | 65.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.9 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.0% ±1.8 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±2.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 19.6% ±7.3 pts | 14.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 22.1% ±9.4 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.0% ±2.7 pts | 6.4% | – |
| With a disability | 12.1% ±4.4 pts | 15.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 20.8% ±7.1 pts | 10.5% | +10.0 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 81.7% ±5.8 pts | 86.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 28.3% ±6.6 pts | 31.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 15.3% ±5.1 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 87.3% ±7.8 pts | 87.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 7.7% ±8.1 pts | 2.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Chelan earn?
Half of Chelan's 1,839 households earn less than $82,637 a year (±$25,071), against $82,381 in Chelan County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 it was $71,107 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chelan | Chelan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $82,637 ±$25,071 | $82,381 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $102,956 ±$15,469 | $112,869 | – |
| Per capita income | $44,453 ±$7,786 | $44,369 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.4% ±3.8 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 11.7% ±9.0 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.3% ±7.0 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.1% ±3.7 pts | 96.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.1% ±4.0 pts | 90.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Chelan?
Owners occupy 56.4% of Chelan's occupied homes and renters 43.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $518,000 by its owner (±$121,227). The median renter pays $1,368 a month including utilities, and 28.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Chelan | Chelan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $518,000 ±$121,227 | $490,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,368 ±$134 | $1,226 | +$301 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.0% ±11.7 pts | 34.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,114 ±$287 | $2,048 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 56.4% ±8.8 pts | 64.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 43.6% ±8.8 pts | 35.4% | – |
| Housing units | 2,867 ±250 | 38,677 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 14.1% ±8.4 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 59.9% ±8.2 pts | 68.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.5% ±3.9 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±0.7 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 13.4% ±5.9 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.8% ±6.3 pts | 12.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.4% ±1.3 pts | 5.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Chelan building?
Builders took permits for 28 new housing units in Chelan in 2025 (28 in single-family houses), 6.2 per 1,000 residents against 4.4 across Washington.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Chelan work and get to work?
61.9% of Chelan's workers drive alone and 10.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 13.8 minutes.
| Measure | Chelan | Chelan County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.1% ±8.2 pts | 59.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.6% ±2.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 61.9% ±12.3 pts | 72.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 12.2% ±9.2 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Walked | 14.0% ±7.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.4% ±6.3 pts | 9.6% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 13.8 min ±3.8 | 20.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Chelan?
1 census tract lies mostly in Chelan, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603.03Chelan County | 2,202 | $74,509 |
| Tract 9603.02Chelan County | 2,995 | $87,843 |
| Tract 9603.01Chelan County | 2,246 | $74,508 |
| Tract 9604Chelan County | 4,293 | $76,910 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chelan) · Census block assignment files
How does Chelan compare with other places in Washington?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chelan is the 5,206th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 128th-most populous of 281 in Washington.
Chelan ranks 248th of 387 places in Washington with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 128th | 281 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 68th | 203 |
| Residents per square mile | 319th | 394 |
| Median household income | 248th | 387 |
| Per capita income | 199th | 393 |
| Median home value | 189th | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 223rd | 351 |
| Poverty rate | 162nd | 281 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 205th | 382 |
| Median age | 81st | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 328th | 388 |
| Work from home | 240th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 380th | 394 |
Chelan's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Chelan with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Chelan?
15 of the 57 figures for Chelan on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chelan are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Chelan.