City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Palouse, WA

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

1,131
Residents
$92,875
Median income
$261,000
Median home
$1,169
Median rent (state)

Palouse - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Palouse lands in the 73rd percentile for household income and the 99th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

73rd
percentile, household income
58th
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
99th
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: Palouse, WA

Washington's Palouse is a small town, with 1,131 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Palouse brings in $92,875 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Palouse's housing stock carries a median value of $261,000, and the median resident age is 43.1 years. Educational attainment runs 47.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 4 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Palouse reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 0.0 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,169 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 39.8 out of 100 (Very Low).

Population

1,131 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$92,875 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Palouse compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 73% higher than other cities
Home value 58% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% pricier than other cities
Safety 99% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Washington, Palouse ranks #1 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison 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 Palouse'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.

73rdIncome percentile
99thSafety percentile

73rd percentile nationally for median household income · 99th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Palouse's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Palouse'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 75 Avg. percentile National median
Palouse'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 Palouse's home value compares nationally

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

$261,000 42nd percentile more affordable than 42% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Palouse $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 - Palouse, WA Palouse, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Palouse, 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 Palouse, WA median $92,875/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%
Palouse, 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 Palouse, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 47.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.0%

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

Population
1,131
Median Income
$92,875
Median Home Value
$261,000
Median Age
43.1
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
64.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
47.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
0.0
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
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
990 residents1,000 residents1,010 residents1,020 residents1,030 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,006 residents 1,019 residents ▲ +1.3%
Palouse's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
4
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 6
2021 12
2022 0
2023 6
2024 4

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
68.4%
Carpool
15.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.8%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
2.9%

Based on 544 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 Palouse sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,169/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
39.8 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Carlsborg
1,135 people
George
1,136 people
Puget Island
1,136 people
Ames Lake
1,138 people
Morton
1,142 people
Rock Island
1,142 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Palouse's 1,131 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Shongopovi, AZ
1,131 people
Mendon, IL
1,131 people
Poseyville, IN
1,131 people
Arma, KS
1,131 people
West Point, KY
1,131 people
Hagaman, NY
1,131 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Palouse's $92,875 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Scotchtown, NY
$92,889 median income
Belmar, NJ
$92,859 median income
Prague, NE
$92,857 median income
Hopeland, PA
$92,893 median income
Reno city (Parker and Tarrant Counties), TX
$92,857 median income
Palmyra, UT
$92,857 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Palouse, 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 Palouse, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.2% 8.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.0% White 82.2% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.6% American Indian 1.9% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.8% Two or more races 8.5% 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 Palouse 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
Palouse (this city) 1,131 $92,875
Carlsborg 1,135 $39,239
George 1,136 $55,781
Puget Island 1,136 $65,395
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Palouse, WA?

What is the population of Palouse, WA? +

1,131 people live in Palouse, WA according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Palouse is $92,875 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Palouse? +

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

Palouse has a total crime rate of 0.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 Palouse, WA? +

Homes in Palouse carry a median value of $261,000, 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 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.