City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Walla Walla, WA

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

33,766
Residents
$65,493
Median income
$356,600
Median home
$1,550
Median rent (state)

Walla Walla - the verdict

Nationally, Walla Walla sits in the 44th percentile for household income and the 22nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

44th
percentile, household income
73rd
percentile, home value
61st
percentile, median rent
22nd
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: Walla Walla, WA

33,766 people live in Walla Walla, Washington - a small city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $65,493 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.2%. Home values in Walla Walla run a median of $356,600, and the median resident age is 38.1 years. 28.9% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 154 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 144% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 2498.3 in FBI UCR data, near 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,550 per month. 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 60.4 out of 100 (Moderate).

Population

33,766 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$65,493 /yr

Poverty 10.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Walla Walla compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 44% higher than other cities
Home value 73% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% pricier than other cities
Safety 22% 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, Walla Walla ranks #97 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

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

Washington-relative analysis

Poverty Rate sits close to the middle of Washington's city distribution

Among the 598 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Walla Walla ranks #150 - the 74th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Walla Walla only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#415 of 565
27th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#332 of 599
44th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#341 of 565
40th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#150 of 598
74th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#248 of 599
58th 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.

44thIncome percentile
22ndSafety percentile

44th percentile nationally for median household income · 22nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Walla Walla's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Walla Walla'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 33 Avg. percentile National median
Walla Walla'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 Walla Walla's home value compares nationally

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

$356,600 27th percentile more affordable than 27% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Walla Walla $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 - Walla Walla, WA Walla Walla, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Walla Walla, 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 Walla Walla, WA median $65,493/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%
Walla Walla, 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 Walla Walla, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 28.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.9%

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

Population
33,766
Median Income
$65,493
Median Home Value
$356,600
Median Age
38.1
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Labor force participation
53.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
28.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2498.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
284.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2214.0
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
15
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
33,600 residents33,800 residents34,000 residents34,200 residents34,400 residents 202020212022202320242025 34,274 residents 34,058 residents ▼ -0.6%
Walla Walla's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
154
housing units authorized
Single-Family
94
detached homes
Multifamily
60
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.6
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 63
2020 49
2021 156
2022 108
2023 136
2024 154

Permit volume increased 144% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.5%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
7.8%
Work from Home
13.1%
Other
3.3%

Based on 15,125 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 Walla Walla sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,550/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
60.4 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Spanaway
34,322 people
University Place
34,850 people
Des Moines
32,545 people
Graham
35,090 people
Mount Vernon
35,312 people
Wenatchee
35,502 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Walla Walla's 33,766 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Englewood, CO
33,774 people
Deer Park, TX
33,823 people
Statesboro, GA
33,705 people
Cibolo, TX
33,829 people
Leawood, KS
33,844 people
Kingman, AZ
33,850 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Walla Walla's $65,493 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Vinton, IA
$65,488 median income
LeChee, AZ
$65,486 median income
Panora, IA
$65,500 median income
Canton, SD
$65,500 median income
Fayetteville, TX
$65,500 median income
Pelican Rapids, MN
$65,482 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Walla Walla, 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 Walla Walla, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 73.0% 9.7% 9.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 24.3% White 73.0% Black or African American 2.7% Asian 2.4% American Indian 2.0% Native Hawaiian 0.4% Some other race 9.7% Two or more races 9.9% 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 Walla Walla 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
Walla Walla (this city) 33,766 $65,493
Spanaway 34,322 $94,028
University Place 34,850 $94,952
Des Moines 32,545 $89,787
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Walla Walla, WA?

What is the population of Walla Walla, WA? +

The population of Walla Walla, WA stands at 33,766 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Walla Walla runs $65,493, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Walla Walla? +

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

Walla Walla has a total crime rate of 2498.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Walla Walla, WA? +

Homes in Walla Walla carry a median value of $356,600, 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.