Yakima County, Washington
Among the top 9% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 13% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 79% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 91% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 61% of US counties
- top 7% for summer humidity
- top 9% for income tax
- bottom 6% for natural disaster risk
Yakima County is a county in Washington with about 256,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include summer humidity, income tax, and walkability. It rates lower on property crime and natural disaster risk.
Official websiteyakimacounty.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Snowy
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92%45%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.4 in0.4 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$65k62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$47kbetter than 36% of US counties
Home Value$255k81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 22% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 22% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.84%better than 51% of US counties
Income Tax0.00%better than 91% of US counties
Sales Tax9.38%better than 8% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden6.40%better than 84% of US counties
Unemployment7.2%better than 14% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)31°F42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F18th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation10.3 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall19.3 inbetter than 41% of US counties
Sunny Days269 daysbetter than 86% of US counties
Summer Humidity47°Fbetter than 94% of US counties
Comfortable Days56 daysbetter than 14% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk94.0better than 6% of US counties
Air Quality46 AQIbetter than 30% of US counties
School Quality69.0better than 73% of US counties
Violent Crime1348/100kbetter than 20% of US counties
Property Crime2626/100kbetter than 6% of US counties
Community
Population256,14391st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age33.05th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5993rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0158th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven21st percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)40.8%11th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)0.8%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)51.2%95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.0%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)6.2%86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 82% of US counties
Walkability8.0/20better than 86% of US counties
Airport Distance98 mibetter than 50% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access87.2%better than 74% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.86better than 35% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 62% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Yakima County an affordable place to live?
- Yakima County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $47k, better than 36% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Yakima County?
- The median home value in Yakima County is $255k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Yakima County?
- Median household income in Yakima County is $65k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Yakima County?
- Median gross rent in Yakima County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Yakima County safe?
- Yakima County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1348/100k (better than 20%). Property crime is 2626/100k.
- What is the weather like in Yakima County?
- Yakima County averages 72°F in July and 31°F in January, with 10.3 in of annual precipitation and about 269 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Yakima County?
- Public-school quality in Yakima County is above average, scoring better than 73% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Yakima County?
- The average one-way commute in Yakima County is 20 min.
Other counties in Washington
Explore Washington
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)