The Town Files

Yakima County, Washington

257,152 people. The median home is worth $310,100 (typical Washington town: $475,000) and the median household earns $70,656.

Towns in Yakima County

Towns in Yakima County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Yakima96,968$297,600$62,81534.3
Sunnyside16,375$240,700$60,92327.1
Grandview10,907$265,300$61,10629.1
Terrace Heights9,244$377,300$83,01635.4
Toppenish8,854$230,000$67,85427.6
Selah8,153$414,600$74,78333.0
Union Gap6,568$210,600$59,65134.5
Wapato4,607$185,100$52,01926.9
Moxee4,326$362,800$100,51233.2
Ahtanum4,046$337,500$96,14933.4
Granger3,624$210,200$66,25022.0
Zillah3,179$334,800$75,00035.7
Gleed2,873$353,900$78,52937.3

People and housing

Yakima CountyTypical Washington town
Median home value$310,100$475,000
Median rent$1,109$1,597
Median household income$70,656$90,625
Median age33.340.1
Bachelor's degree or higher19.2%27.6%
Below the poverty line15.5%8.5%

Jobs and pay

116,547 jobs in 2024, average pay $52,108 a year.

Largest industries in Yakima CountyAgriculture, forestry & fishi…29,206 jobs · $40,035Health care & social assistan…18,432 jobs · $59,728Retail11,113 jobs · $40,718Manufacturing7,852 jobs · $60,651Hotels & restaurants7,056 jobs · $25,798Wholesale trade4,316 jobs · $74,231
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Yakima County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 5.8%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 440 storm events in Yakima County from 1996 to 2026, with 9 deaths.

Storm events in Yakima County by type since 1996Hail21Flood40Wildfire37High Wind56Ice Storm10Heavy Snow133Flash Flood14Frost/Freeze27Winter Storm11Excessive Heat13
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Yakima County has been included in 39 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 3, 2026FireEM-3650: Wildfires
July 26, 2026FireFM-5649: Signal Peak Fire
July 26, 2026FireFM-5651: Ransier Fire
April 7, 2026FloodDR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
December 12, 2025FloodEM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
July 26, 2024FireFM-5521: Retreat Fire
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).