City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Goldendale, WA

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

3,458
Residents
$41,621
Median income
$194,100
Median home
$1,336
Median rent (state)

Goldendale - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Goldendale lands in the 9th percentile for household income and the 12th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

9th
percentile, household income
41st
percentile, home value
49th
percentile, median rent
12th
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: Goldendale, WA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 3,458 residents in Goldendale, a small town within Washington. The typical household in Goldendale brings in $41,621 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.7%. Typical homes in Goldendale are valued around $194,100, and the median resident age is 42.1 years. 14.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 45.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 3 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 200% from five years earlier. Goldendale's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3333.3 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Goldendale's yearly average temperature at 48.0°F with 16.5 inches of precipitation per year and 26.6 inches of snowfall.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: the state registers 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,336 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 73.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

3,458 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$41,621 /yr

Poverty 18.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Goldendale compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 9% higher than other cities
Home value 41% pricier than other cities
Median rent 49% pricier than other cities
Safety 12% 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: Goldendale ranks #123 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Goldendale's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

9thIncome percentile
12thSafety percentile

9th percentile nationally for median household income · 12th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Goldendale's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Goldendale'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 25 Avg. percentile National median
Goldendale'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 Goldendale's home value compares nationally

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

$194,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 59% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Goldendale $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 - Goldendale, WA Goldendale, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Goldendale, 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 Goldendale, WA median $41,621/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%
Goldendale, 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 Goldendale, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 14.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 45.9%

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

Population
3,458
Median Income
$41,621
Median Home Value
$194,100
Median Age
42.1
Poverty Rate
18.7%
Labor force participation
45.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
14.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3333.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
114.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3218.4
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.

Climate

Avg Temperature
48.0°F
Annual Precipitation
16.5"
Annual Snowfall
26.6"

Schools

Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,400 residents3,450 residents3,500 residents3,550 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,455 residents 3,528 residents ▲ +2.1%
Goldendale's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 7
2021 0
2022 17
2023 13
2024 3

Permit volume increased 200% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
87.7%
Carpool
6.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
1.3%
Other
2.5%

Based on 1,312 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 Goldendale sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,336/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
73.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Elma
3,452 people
Three Lakes
3,466 people
Forks
3,413 people
Clearview
3,508 people
Indianola
3,517 people
Hansville
3,533 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Goldendale's 3,458 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Shadyside, OH
3,458 people
Elba, AL
3,459 people
Monte Sereno, CA
3,459 people
Fulton, IL
3,457 people
Frederick, OK
3,460 people
Pemberwick, CT
3,455 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Goldendale's $41,621 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

East Tawas, MI
$41,619 median income
Niles, KS
$41,618 median income
Rice Lake, MN
$41,625 median income
Whitehall, NY
$41,625 median income
Pleasant Ridge, KY
$41,615 median income
Girard, KS
$41,629 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Goldendale, 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 Goldendale, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% White 91.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.3% American Indian 5.8% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.4% Two or more races 2.5% 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 Goldendale 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
Goldendale (this city) 3,458 $41,621
Elma 3,452 $66,194
Three Lakes 3,466 $148,625
Forks 3,413 $46,389
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Goldendale, WA?

What is the population of Goldendale, WA? +

Goldendale, WA counts 3,458 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Goldendale is $41,621 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Goldendale? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Goldendale; 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 Goldendale, WA safe? +

Goldendale has a total crime rate of 3333.3 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 Goldendale, WA? +

The median home value in Goldendale is $194,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Goldendale? +

Goldendale has an average annual temperature of 48.0°F, 16.5 inches of precipitation, and 26.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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 Editorial

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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.