Median Income
$75,099
household / year
Median Home Value
$408,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,455
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is Chelan, WA a Good Place to Live?

Chelan is a small town of 4,269 in Washington, with a median household income of $75,099 and a 3.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Chelan stands out for solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Chelan is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Chelan city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 102.0

Chelan's overall cost of living index is 102.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Chelan costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric Chelan, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $408,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,455 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 52.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $75,099 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Chelan's violent crime rate is 141.2 per 100,000 residents — 63% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
141.2 /100k
Property Crime
1693.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Chelan is served primarily by Lake Chelan School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.5:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Chelan, WA National Avg
School District Lake Chelan School District —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 16.5:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 27.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 82.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Chelan sees average highs of 34.3°F in January and 86.6°F in July, with 12.0 inches of annual precipitation and 20.5 inches of snow per year.

MetricChelan, WA
Average High — January34.3°F
Average High — July86.6°F
Annual Precipitation12.0"
Annual Snowfall20.5"

Demographics

MetricChelan, WANational Avg
Population4,269—
Median Age39.838.9
Unemployment Rate3.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time12.3 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)69.6%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino27.3%18.9%
Asian1.4%6.3%
Under 1820.8%22.2%
65 and over22.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Chelan Falls, WA 3 mi Manson, WA 7 mi Waterville, WA 14 mi Entiat, WA 15 mi Pateros, WA 15 mi

ZIP Codes in Chelan

Chelan, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

98816

Chelan vs Other Cities

Chelan, WA vs Chelan Falls, WA Chelan, WA vs Manson, WA Chelan, WA vs Waterville, WA Chelan, WA vs Entiat, WA Chelan, WA vs Pateros, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Chelan's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Chelan roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $408,400 and median rent is $1,455/month.
Chelan's violent crime rate is 141.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1693.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Chelan are operated by Lake Chelan School District. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16.5:1. 27.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Chelan, WA has a population of 4,269, a median household income of $75,099, and an unemployment rate of 3.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Chelan averages 34.3°F in January and 86.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 12.0 inches with about 20.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Chelan, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 98816.
The population of Chelan, Washington is 4,269 with a median age of 39.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Chelan: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $408,400, median household income $75,099, crime index 55 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Chelan side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.