Median Income
$55,734
household / year
Median Home Value
$243,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,014
gross / month
Cost of Living
102
national avg = 100

Is Yakima, WA a Good Place to Live?

Yakima is a mid-sized city of 96,764 in Washington, with a median household income of $55,734 and a 8.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 102 (US average = 100), which is 2% above the national average.

Strengths: Yakima stands out for below-average home prices, short average commutes.

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

All Yakima 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: 101.6

Yakima's overall cost of living index is 101.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Yakima costs roughly 2% more than the average American city.

Metric Yakima, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $243,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,014 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 53.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $55,734 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Yakima's violent crime rate is 544.3 per 100,000 residents — 43% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
544.3 /100k
Property Crime
2044.6 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Yakima is served primarily by Yakima School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.7:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Yakima, WA National Avg
School District Yakima School District —
Elementary Schools 14 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 10 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 77.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Yakima sees average highs of 39.6°F in January and 88.3°F in July, with 8.6 inches of annual precipitation and 20.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricYakima, WA
Average High — January39.6°F
Average High — July88.3°F
Annual Precipitation8.6"
Annual Snowfall20.3"

Demographics

MetricYakima, WANational Avg
Population96,764—
Median Age33.938.9
Unemployment Rate8.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time17.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)58.9%59.3%
Black or African American1.3%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino32.7%18.9%
Asian1.3%6.3%
Under 1827.8%22.2%
65 and over15.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Union Gap, WA 4 mi Selah, WA 4 mi Ahtanum, WA 4 mi Summitview, WA 5 mi Gleed, WA 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Yakima

Yakima, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

98902 98908

Yakima vs Other Cities

Yakima, WA vs Union Gap, WA Yakima, WA vs Selah, WA Yakima, WA vs Ahtanum, WA Yakima, WA vs Summitview, WA Yakima, WA vs Gleed, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Yakima's cost of living index is 102, where 100 is the national average. That puts Yakima roughly 2% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $243,300 and median rent is $1,014/month.
Yakima's violent crime rate is 544.3 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2044.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Yakima are operated by Yakima School District. The district has 14 elementary, 4 middle, and 10 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.7:1. 19.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Yakima, WA has a population of 96,764, a median household income of $55,734, and an unemployment rate of 8.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Yakima averages 39.6°F in January and 88.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 8.6 inches with about 20.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Yakima, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 98902, 98908.
The population of Yakima, Washington is 96,764 with a median age of 33.9. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Yakima: cost of living index 102 (100 = US average), median home $243,300, median household income $55,734, crime index 125 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Yakima side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.