City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Pullman, WA

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

31,939
Residents
$45,097
Median income
$401,700
Median home
$1,169
Median rent (state)

Pullman - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Pullman lands in the 13th percentile for household income and the 66th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

13th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
66th
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: Pullman, WA

31,939 people live in Pullman, Washington - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Pullman brings in $45,097 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 12.1%. Typical homes in Pullman are valued around $401,700, and the median resident age is 22.8 years. Educational attainment runs 62.5% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 59.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 17 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 96% from five years earlier. Pullman reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 951.5 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 48.2°F with 20.4 inches of precipitation per year and 32.7 inches of snowfall.

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,169 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. The average commute for Pullman workers runs 12.9 minutes, with 57.8% driving alone and 9.8% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 39.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

31,939 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$45,097 /yr

Poverty 12.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Pullman compare to other US cities?

Where Pullman sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 13% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% pricier than other cities
Safety 66% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Washington alone, Pullman ranks #30 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

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 Pullman'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.

13thIncome percentile
66thSafety percentile

13th percentile nationally for median household income · 66th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Pullman's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Pullman'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Pullman'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 Pullman's home value compares nationally

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

$401,700 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% 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%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Pullman $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 - Pullman, WA Pullman, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Pullman, 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 Pullman, WA median $45,097/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%
Pullman, 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 Pullman, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 62.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.4%

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

Population
31,939
Median Income
$45,097
Median Home Value
$401,700
Median Age
22.8
Poverty Rate
12.1%
Labor force participation
59.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
62.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
951.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
129.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
821.6
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
48.2°F
Annual Precipitation
20.4"
Annual Snowfall
32.7"

Schools

Total Schools
7
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
28,000 residents30,000 residents32,000 residents34,000 residents36,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 32,864 residents 33,756 residents ▲ +2.7%
Pullman's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
13
detached homes
Multifamily
4
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 388
2020 49
2021 358
2022 246
2023 218
2024 17

Permit volume decreased 96% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
12.9 minutes
Drive Alone
57.8%
Carpool
9.8%
Public Transit
4.8%
Walk
14.7%
Work from Home
9.8%
Other
3.1%

Based on 16,570 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 Pullman 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

Des Moines
32,545 people
SeaTac
31,143 people
Walla Walla
33,766 people
Orchards
29,716 people
Spanaway
34,322 people
University Place
34,850 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Pullman's 31,939 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Milford Mill, MD
31,939 people
Opelika, AL
31,944 people
Erie, CO
31,927 people
Beverly Hills, CA
31,955 people
Duluth, GA
31,958 people
Seaside, CA
31,964 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Pullman's $45,097 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Marathon, TX
$45,100 median income
Bowling Green, FL
$45,101 median income
Wrightsville, AR
$45,104 median income
Poplar, MT
$45,104 median income
Woodville, CA
$45,089 median income
Ringgold, GA
$45,083 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Pullman, 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 Pullman, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 71.3% 10.7% 12.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.6% White 71.3% Black or African American 1.9% Asian 10.7% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 0.3% Some other race 2.6% Two or more races 12.4% 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 Pullman 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
Pullman (this city) 31,939 $45,097
Des Moines 32,545 $89,787
SeaTac 31,143 $76,517
Walla Walla 33,766 $65,493
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Pullman, WA?

What is the population of Pullman, WA? +

Pullman, WA counts 31,939 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Pullman, the typical household earns $45,097 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Pullman? +

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

Pullman has a total crime rate of 951.5 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 Pullman, WA? +

The median home value in Pullman is $401,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Pullman? +

Pullman has an average annual temperature of 48.2°F, 20.4 inches of precipitation, and 32.7 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.