City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Yelm, WA

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

10,618
Residents
$88,279
Median income
$439,100
Median home
$1,960
Median rent (state)

Yelm - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Yelm lands in the 69th percentile for household income and the 29th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

69th
percentile, household income
80th
percentile, home value
81st
percentile, median rent
29th
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: Yelm, WA

Washington's Yelm is a small town, with 10,618 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Yelm brings in $88,279 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.7%. Yelm's housing stock carries a median value of $439,100, and the median resident age is 30.6 years. 26.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 105 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 139% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2153.5 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,960 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 94.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

10,618 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$88,279 /yr

Poverty 2.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Yelm compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 69% higher than other cities
Home value 80% pricier than other cities
Median rent 81% pricier than other cities
Safety 29% 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, Yelm ranks #82 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

Each percentile compares Yelm 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, Yelm ranks #413 - the 30th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Yelm only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#257 of 565
55th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#205 of 599
61st percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#259 of 565
54th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#413 of 598
30th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#291 of 599
51st 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.

69thIncome percentile
29thSafety percentile

69th percentile nationally for median household income · 29th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Yelm's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Yelm'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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Yelm'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 Yelm's home value compares nationally

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

$439,100 20th percentile more affordable than 20% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Yelm $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 - Yelm, WA Yelm, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Yelm, 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 Yelm, WA median $88,279/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%
Yelm, 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 Yelm, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.6%

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

Population
10,618
Median Income
$88,279
Median Home Value
$439,100
Median Age
30.6
Poverty Rate
2.7%
Labor force participation
55.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2153.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
277.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1876.2
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
9
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,500 residents11,000 residents11,500 residents12,000 residents12,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 10,700 residents 12,043 residents ▲ +12.6%
Yelm's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
105
housing units authorized
Single-Family
97
detached homes
Multifamily
8
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
9.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 44
2020 21
2021 38
2022 79
2023 148
2024 105

Permit volume increased 139% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.6%
Carpool
13.5%
Public Transit
0.8%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
5.6%
Other
2.1%

Based on 5,145 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 Yelm sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,960/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Shelton
10,619 people
Mount Vista
10,635 people
Lake Morton-Berrydale
10,591 people
Sumner
10,674 people
Felida
10,695 people
Airway Heights
10,766 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Yelm's 10,618 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Waggaman, LA
10,617 people
Crestwood, IL
10,622 people
Santa Clara, OR
10,623 people
Pella, IA
10,624 people
Winterville, NC
10,624 people
Chalco, NE
10,625 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Yelm's $88,279 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Greensboro Bend, VT
$88,281 median income
Rome, WI
$88,281 median income
Walnut Grove, CA
$88,269 median income
Tres Arroyos, NM
$88,289 median income
Glen Burnie, MD
$88,291 median income
Ridge, NY
$88,266 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Yelm, 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 Yelm, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 67.4% 16.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.9% White 67.4% Black or African American 5.6% Asian 0.9% American Indian 1.2% Native Hawaiian 5.0% Some other race 3.8% Two or more races 16.1% 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 Yelm 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
Yelm (this city) 10,618 $88,279
Shelton 10,619 $60,589
Mount Vista 10,635 $101,189
Lake Morton-Berrydale 10,591 $127,074
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Yelm, WA?

What is the population of Yelm, WA? +

The population of Yelm, WA stands at 10,618 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Yelm households earn a median of $88,279 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Yelm? +

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

Yelm has a total crime rate of 2153.5 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 Yelm, WA? +

The median home value in Yelm is $439,100, 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.