Ellensburg, Washington
Among the top 14% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 18% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade B+, better than 84% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 40% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 86% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 41% of US places
- top 7% for summer humidity
- top 8% for income tax
- bottom 6% for sales tax
Ellensburg is a town in Washington with about 19,000 residents. It grades A for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include summer humidity, income tax, and commute time. It rates lower on property crime and sales tax.
- The median home value in Ellensburg is $347k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Ellensburg is $54k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Ellensburg is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Ellensburg has a violent crime rate of 1070/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Ellensburg is 18 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Snowy
very cold
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cool
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warm
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v.cold
92%44%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.2 in0.3 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$54k34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$46kbetter than 51% of US places
Home Value$347k82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 28% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$3kbetter than 11% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.87%better than 59% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden8.71%better than 68% of US places
Unemployment9.0%better than 16% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)30°F44th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)72°F23rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation9.0 in2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall20.3 inbetter than 46% of US places
Sunny Days269 daysbetter than 84% of US places
Summer Humidity47°Fbetter than 93% of US places
Comfortable Days71 daysbetter than 24% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk78.1better than 30% of US places
Air Quality40 AQIbetter than 76% of US places
School Quality95.5better than 84% of US places
Violent Crime1070/100kbetter than 33% of US places
Property Crime2694/100kbetter than 9% of US places
Community
Population19,00392nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age24.94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3569th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9850th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1137th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)77.1%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.3%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)12.0%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.8%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)7.8%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time18 minbetter than 91% of US places
Walkability8.9/20better than 81% of US places
Airport Distance88 mibetter than 44% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access91.2%better than 69% of US places
Amenities Nearby64.20better than 45% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 27% of US places
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)
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ellensburg an affordable place to live?
- Ellensburg is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $46k, better than 51% of comparable areas. Median rent is $1k.
- Is Ellensburg safe?
- Ellensburg is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1070/100k (better than 33%). Property crime is 2694/100k.
- What is the weather like in Ellensburg?
- Ellensburg averages 72°F in July and 30°F in January, with 9.0 in of annual precipitation and about 269 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Ellensburg?
- Public-school quality in Ellensburg is above average, scoring better than 84% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Ellensburg?
- The average one-way commute in Ellensburg is 18 min.