Cle Elum vs Ellensburg
Cle Elum, Washington versus Ellensburg, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Cle Elum and Ellensburg score about the same overall (54 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Cle Elum | Ellensburg |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $46k |
| Home Value | $347k | $347k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $633 | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.54% | 0.87% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.41% | 8.71% |
| Unemployment | 2.2% | 9.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 29°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.7 in | 9.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 80.2 in | 20.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 317 days | 269 days |
| Summer Humidity | 45°F | 47°F |
| Comfortable Days | 70 days | 71 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 62.2 | 78.1 |
| Air Quality | 34 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 64.1 | 95.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1251/100k | 1070/100k |
| Property Crime | 3346/100k | 2694/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 2,116 | 19,003 |
| Median Age | 48.6 | 24.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.35 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+11 | R+11 |
| White (%) | 78.5% | 77.1% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 10.6% | 12.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 10.9% | 7.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | — | 18 min |
| Walkability | 9.5/20 | 8.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 66 mi | 88 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.3% | 91.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 255.20 | 64.20 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cle Elum or Ellensburg more affordable?
- Ellensburg has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Cle Elum's $46k and Ellensburg's $46k. Median rent is $1k in Cle Elum versus $1k in Ellensburg.
- Is Cle Elum or Ellensburg safer?
- Ellensburg has the lower violent crime rate. Cle Elum reports 1251/100k and Ellensburg reports 1070/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Cle Elum or Ellensburg?
- The median home value is $347k in Cle Elum and $347k in Ellensburg, so homes are more affordable in Ellensburg.