Ideal CityOpen the map

North Yelm vs Olympia

North Yelm, Washington versus Olympia, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

North Yelm

Solid · objective livability57/100

Olympia

Mixed · objective livability49/100

North Yelm edges out Olympia on overall objective livability (57 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorNorth YelmOlympia
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k$74k
Cost of Living$55k$55k
Home Value$283k$410k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$912$12k
Property Tax Rate0.84%0.95%
Income Tax0.00%0.00%
Sales Tax9.38%9.38%
Estimated total tax burden6.24%8.37%
Unemployment2.2%6.9%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F40°F
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F64°F
Annual Precipitation54.0 in59.0 in
Annual Snowfall3.9 in3.9 in
Sunny Days187 days187 days
Summer Humidity52°F52°F
Comfortable Days100 days97 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk57.696.2
Air Quality35 AQI35 AQI
School Quality96.176.4
Violent Crime832/100k1548/100k
Property Crime2333/100k4230/100k
Community
Population2,78555,151
Median Age36.838.7
Racial Diversity0.230.39
Male/Female Ratio1.300.97
Political LeaningD+19D+19
White (%)87.0%71.4%
Black (%)0.0%2.6%
Hispanic (%)1.1%11.2%
Asian (%)1.1%6.7%
Other / Multiracial (%)10.7%8.1%
Getting Around
Commute Time21 min
Walkability6.9/2014.6/20
Airport Distance36 mi40 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.1%90.4%
Amenities Nearby262.1278.51
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

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 North Yelm or Olympia more affordable?
Olympia has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with North Yelm's $55k and Olympia's $55k. Median rent is $1k in North Yelm versus $1k in Olympia.
Is North Yelm or Olympia safer?
North Yelm has the lower violent crime rate. North Yelm reports 832/100k and Olympia reports 1548/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in North Yelm or Olympia?
The median home value is $283k in North Yelm and $410k in Olympia, so homes are more affordable in North Yelm.
See each on the map

Explore North YelmExplore Olympia

Full profiles