City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

White Salmon, WA

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

2,533
Residents
$73,406
Median income
$566,300
Median home
$1,922
Median rent (state)

White Salmon - the verdict

Nationally, White Salmon sits in the 54th percentile for household income and the 61st percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

54th
percentile, household income
88th
percentile, home value
80th
percentile, median rent
61st
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: White Salmon, WA

White Salmon is a small town in Washington, home to 2,533 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $73,406 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in White Salmon are valued around $566,300, and the median resident age is 50.8 years. 49.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 10 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 52% from five years earlier. White Salmon reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 1072.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than 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 $1,922 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 49.7 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

2,533 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$73,406 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does White Salmon compare to other US cities?

Here's how White Salmon stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 88% pricier than other cities
Median rent 80% pricier than other cities
Safety 61% 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, White Salmon ranks #38 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 White Salmon 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 places White Salmon near the bottom of Washington's cities

Among the 598 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, White Salmon ranks #489 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares White Salmon only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#353 of 565
38th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#235 of 599
55th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#154 of 565
73rd percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#489 of 598
0th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#73 of 599
88th 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.

54thIncome percentile
61stSafety percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income · 61st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

White Salmon's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

White Salmon'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 44 Avg. percentile National median
White Salmon'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 White Salmon's home value compares nationally

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

$566,300 12th percentile more affordable than 12% 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%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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. White Salmon $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 - White Salmon, WA White Salmon, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not White Salmon, 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 White Salmon, WA median $73,406/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%
White Salmon, 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 White Salmon, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.6%

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

Population
2,533
Median Income
$73,406
Median Home Value
$566,300
Median Age
50.8
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
57.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1072.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
114.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
957.1
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
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 →
2,500 residents2,550 residents2,600 residents2,650 residents2,700 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,542 residents 2,655 residents ▲ +4.4%
White Salmon's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
8
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 21
2020 26
2021 18
2022 8
2023 6
2024 10

Permit volume decreased 52% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
61.3%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
11.6%
Work from Home
23.0%
Other
4.1%

Based on 1,197 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 White Salmon sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,922/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
49.7 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Meadow Glade
2,534 people
Warden
2,531 people
Navy Yard
2,542 people
Burley
2,516 people
Chewelah
2,552 people
Carson
2,553 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to White Salmon's 2,533 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Trinity, AL
2,533 people
Bayview CDP (Contra Costa County), CA
2,533 people
West Berlin, NJ
2,533 people
Skaneateles, NY
2,533 people
South Taft, CA
2,534 people
Lake Belvedere Estates, FL
2,532 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to White Salmon's $73,406 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Sand Springs, OK
$73,400 median income
West Park, NJ
$73,397 median income
Napoleon, OH
$73,417 median income
Matador, TX
$73,417 median income
Glidden, IA
$73,393 median income
Morrowville, KS
$73,393 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - White Salmon, 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 White Salmon, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.5% 8.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.8% White 85.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 1.7% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.5% Two or more races 8.3% 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 White Salmon 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
White Salmon (this city) 2,533 $73,406
Meadow Glade 2,534 $129,167
Warden 2,531 $52,344
Navy Yard 2,542 $67,546
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about White Salmon, WA?

What is the population of White Salmon, WA? +

White Salmon, WA has a population of 2,533 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in White Salmon, WA? +

In White Salmon, the typical household earns $73,406 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in White Salmon? +

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

White Salmon has a total crime rate of 1072.0 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 White Salmon, WA? +

White Salmon's median home value sits at $566,300, 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.