Median Income
$53,730
household / year
Median Home Value
$346,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,177
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Ellensburg, WA a Good Place to Live?

Ellensburg is a small city of 19,003 in Washington, with a median household income of $53,730 and a 9.0% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Ellensburg stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Ellensburg is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ellensburg 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: 104.5

Ellensburg's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ellensburg costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Ellensburg, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $346,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,177 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 37.7% 65.9%
Median Household Income $53,730 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Ellensburg's violent crime rate is 227.4 per 100,000 residents — 40% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
227.4 /100k
Property Crime
2181.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Ellensburg is served primarily by Ellensburg School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ellensburg, WA National Avg
School District Ellensburg School District —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 18.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 94.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ellensburg sees average highs of 35.0°F in January and 84.8°F in July, with 10.8 inches of annual precipitation and 20.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricEllensburg, WA
Average High — January35.0°F
Average High — July84.8°F
Annual Precipitation10.8"
Annual Snowfall20.3"

Demographics

MetricEllensburg, WANational Avg
Population19,003—
Median Age24.938.9
Unemployment Rate9.0%3.7%
Avg Commute Time18.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)79.9%59.3%
Black or African American1.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino9.7%18.9%
Asian1.8%6.3%
Under 1815.4%22.2%
65 and over10.3%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Kittitas, WA 6 mi Thorp, WA 7 mi Naches, WA 20 mi Nile, WA 22 mi Tieton, WA 23 mi

ZIP Codes in Ellensburg

Ellensburg, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

98926

Ellensburg vs Other Cities

Ellensburg, WA vs Kittitas, WA Ellensburg, WA vs Thorp, WA Ellensburg, WA vs Naches, WA Ellensburg, WA vs Nile, WA Ellensburg, WA vs Tieton, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Ellensburg's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Ellensburg roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $346,700 and median rent is $1,177/month.
Ellensburg's violent crime rate is 227.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2181.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ellensburg are operated by Ellensburg School District. The district has 4 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.3:1. 45.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ellensburg, WA has a population of 19,003, a median household income of $53,730, and an unemployment rate of 9.0%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ellensburg averages 35.0°F in January and 84.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 10.8 inches with about 20.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ellensburg, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 98926.
The population of Ellensburg, Washington is 19,003 with a median age of 24.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ellensburg: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $346,700, median household income $53,730, crime index 77 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ellensburg side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.