What are the schools like in Waterville, WA?

Waterville is served primarily by Waterville School District. The district operates 1 elementary schools, several middle schools, and 1 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 17.1:1.

What is the median household income in Waterville?

The median household income in Waterville, WA is $71,964 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 1.3%.

Waterville, WA Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Waterville, WA affordable or expensive?

Waterville's cost of living index is 102, where 100 represents the national average. This means Waterville is 2% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $231,000 and the median rent is $1,519 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Waterville, WA?

Waterville has a violent crime rate of 117.4 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 1358.5 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Q: What is the weather like in Waterville, WA?

Waterville has an average high temperature of 31.4°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 11.2 inches and annual snowfall averages 39.5 inches.

Is Waterville, WA a Good Place to Live?

Waterville is a small town of 1,488 in Washington, with a median household income of $71,964 and a 1.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Waterville stands out for below-average home prices.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Waterville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Waterville 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

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

Metric	Waterville, WA	National Avg
Median Home Value	$231,000	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,519	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	84.6%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$71,964	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Waterville's violent crime rate is 117.4 per 100,000 residents — 69% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

117.4 /100k

Property Crime

1358.5 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Waterville is served primarily by Waterville School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Waterville, WA	National Avg
School District	Waterville School District	—
Elementary Schools	1	—
Middle Schools	N/A	—
High Schools	1	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	17.1:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	12.7%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	80.0%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Waterville sees average highs of 31.4°F in January and 83.6°F in July, with 11.2 inches of annual precipitation and 39.5 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Waterville, WA
Average High — January	31.4°F
Average High — July	83.6°F
Annual Precipitation	11.2"
Annual Snowfall	39.5"

Demographics

Metric	Waterville, WA	National Avg
Population	1,488	—
Median Age	49.0	38.9
Unemployment Rate	1.3%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	28.2 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	80.4%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.2%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	12.0%	18.9%
Asian	0.5%	6.3%
Under 18	16.6%	22.2%
65 and over	18.1%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Entiat, WA 7 mi Chelan Falls, WA 11 mi Chelan, WA 14 mi Manson, WA 16 mi Sunnyslope, WA 16 mi

ZIP Codes in Waterville

Waterville, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

98858

Waterville vs Other Cities

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Waterville, WA affordable or expensive?

Waterville's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Waterville roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $231,000 and median rent is $1,519/month.

What is the crime rate in Waterville, WA?

Waterville's violent crime rate is 117.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1358.5 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Waterville?

Public schools in Waterville are operated by Waterville School District. The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.1:1. 12.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Waterville, WA a good place to live?

Waterville, WA has a population of 1,488, a median household income of $71,964, and an unemployment rate of 1.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Waterville?

Waterville averages 31.4°F in January and 83.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 11.2 inches with about 39.5 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Waterville?

Waterville, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 98858.

What is the population of Waterville?

The population of Waterville, Washington is 1,488 with a median age of 49.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Waterville?

Key numbers for living in Waterville: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $231,000, median household income $71,964, crime index 44 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Waterville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.