The Town FilesChelan, Washington
City in Chelan County · population 4,222 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $518,000
- Household income
- $82,637
- Jan low / Jul high
- 22° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 21 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 46.4
Chelan is a city of 4,222 people in Chelan County, Washington. The median home is worth $518,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 88% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 86% of Washington towns, better for young professionals than 76% of Washington towns.
How Chelan ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Chelan is worth $518,000, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $82,637, which is more affordable than 23% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,368 a month. 56.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Chelan | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $518,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,368 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $82,637 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 56.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 28.7% | — |
Who lives in Chelan
| People | Chelan | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 22.7% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.6% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 13.8 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Chelan
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 21.6°F. About 12.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.5 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 25 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Chelan since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 6 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 7, 1975.
Severe weather in Chelan County since 1996
Chelan County has been included in 53 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Fire | EM-3650: Wildfires |
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 26, 2025 | Fire | FM-5614: Lower Sugarloaf Fire |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Chelan County
Chelan County had 44,962 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,540 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Chelan itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Chelan
5 public schools with 1,299 students, about 15.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgen Owings Elementary School | K-5 | 474 | 12.8 |
| Chelan High School | 9-12 | 442 | 17.7 |
| Chelan Middle School | 6-8 | 301 | 16.7 |
| Lake Chelan Preschool | PK-PK | 52 | — |
| Chelan School of Innovation | 9-12 | 30 | 15.0 |
Towns near Chelan
- Sunnyslope, WA28.3 mi · 4,041 people · home $714,200
Chelan questions
Is Chelan, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Chelan scores better for retirees than 86% of Washington towns and quieter than 63%. 22.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 46.4).
How much does a house cost in Chelan?
The median owner-occupied home in Chelan is valued at $518,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $82,637, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,368 a month.
What is the weather like in Chelan?
July highs average 86.6°F and January lows 21.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.0 inches of precipitation a year and 20.5 inches of snow.
Does Chelan get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Chelan in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)