City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Yakima, WA

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

96,810
Residents
$59,228
Median income
$273,400
Median home
$1,374
Median rent (state)

Yakima - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Yakima places in the 34th percentile for household income and the 21st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

34th
percentile, household income
60th
percentile, home value
53rd
percentile, median rent
21st
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: Yakima, WA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 96,810 residents in Yakima, a small city within Washington. The typical household in Yakima brings in $59,228 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.1%. Yakima's housing stock carries a median value of $273,400, and the median resident age is 34.0 years. Educational attainment runs 20.8% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 55.3% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 134 residential building permits were authorized in Yakima (Construction Slowdown), down 77% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2588.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, near 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: the state registers 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Above Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,374 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Yakima report an average commute of 16.4 minutes, with 79.4% driving alone and 6.2% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 94.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

96,810 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$59,228 /yr

Poverty 12.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Yakima compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 34% higher than other cities
Home value 60% pricier than other cities
Median rent 53% pricier than other cities
Safety 21% 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: Yakima ranks #101 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 Yakima'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.

34thIncome percentile
21stSafety percentile

34th percentile nationally for median household income · 21st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Yakima's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Yakima'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
Yakima'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 Yakima's home value compares nationally

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

$273,400 40th percentile more affordable than 40% 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. Yakima $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 - Yakima, WA Yakima, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Yakima, 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 Yakima, WA median $59,228/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%
Yakima, 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 Yakima, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 20.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.3%

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

Population
96,810
Median Income
$59,228
Median Home Value
$273,400
Median Age
34.0
Poverty Rate
12.1%
Labor force participation
55.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
20.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2588.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
544.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2044.6
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.

Schools

Total Schools
51
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
96,000 residents96,500 residents97,000 residents97,500 residents98,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 97,032 residents 97,458 residents ▲ +0.4%
Yakima's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
134
housing units authorized
Single-Family
100
detached homes
Multifamily
34
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 580
2020 203
2021 450
2022 349
2023 319
2024 134

Permit volume decreased 77% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.4 minutes
Drive Alone
79.4%
Carpool
11.4%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
6.2%
Other
1.3%

Based on 39,361 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 Yakima sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,374/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Federal Way
99,232 people
Bellingham
92,367 people
Kirkland
91,614 people
Renton
105,279 people
Spokane Valley
105,460 people
Auburn
85,455 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Yakima's 96,810 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Conroe, TX
96,976 people
Suffolk, VA
96,638 people
Sunrise, FL
96,633 people
Orem, UT
97,048 people
Fayetteville, AR
97,227 people
Portsmouth, VA
97,299 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Yakima's $59,228 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fairmont, MN
$59,228 median income
Cusseta-Chattahoochee County unified government, GA
$59,221 median income
Arp, TX
$59,219 median income
Parma Heights, OH
$59,218 median income
Millers Creek, NC
$59,239 median income
Tamarac, FL
$59,216 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Yakima, 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 Yakima, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 53.3% 19.4% 21.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 47.6% White 53.3% Black or African American 1.5% Asian 1.6% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.8% Some other race 19.4% Two or more races 21.7% 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 Yakima 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
Yakima (this city) 96,810 $59,228
Federal Way 99,232 $82,144
Bellingham 92,367 $65,821
Kirkland 91,614 $143,533
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Yakima, WA?

What is the population of Yakima, WA? +

Yakima, WA counts 96,810 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Yakima runs $59,228, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Yakima? +

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

Yakima has a total crime rate of 2588.9 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 Yakima, WA? +

The median home value in Yakima is $273,400, 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.