The Town FilesEllensburg, Washington
City in Kittitas County · population 18,666 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $404,100
- Household income
- $55,438
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 25.0
Ellensburg is a city of 18,666 people in Kittitas County, Washington. The median home is worth $404,100, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 96% of Washington towns, hipper than 95% of Washington towns, better for cycling than 93% of Washington towns.
How Ellensburg 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 Ellensburg is worth $404,100, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.3 times the median household income of $55,438, which is more affordable than 8% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,340 a month. 32.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ellensburg | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $404,100 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,340 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $55,438 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.3× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 32.9% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.2% | — |
Who lives in Ellensburg
| People | Ellensburg | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.0 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.9% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 14.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 10.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 17.5 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ellensburg
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 20.2°F. About 9.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Ellensburg since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 29, 2013.
Severe weather in Kittitas County since 1996
Kittitas County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| February 4, 2021 | Fire | DR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kittitas County
Kittitas County had 16,775 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,172 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Ellensburg itself the ACS puts it at 8.9%.
Public schools in Ellensburg
10 public schools with 3,392 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellensburg High School | 9-12 | 974 | 22.7 |
| Morgan Middle School | 6-8 | 773 | 19.8 |
| Valley View Elementary School | K-5 | 421 | 16.2 |
| Ida Nason Aronica Elementary | K-5 | 347 | 15.1 |
| Mt. Stuart Elementary | K-5 | 337 | 13.5 |
| Lincoln Elementary | K-5 | 313 | 13.6 |
| K-12 Ellensburg Learning Center | K-12 | 119 | — |
| Early Learning Center | PK-PK | 55 | 27.5 |
| Damman Elementary | K-5 | 44 | 22.0 |
| Parke Creek Treatment Ctr | 8-12 | 9 | 9.0 |
Towns near Ellensburg
- Gleed, WA23.7 mi · 2,873 people · home $353,900
- Selah, WA24.5 mi · 8,153 people · home $414,600
- Terrace Heights, WA28.2 mi · 9,244 people · home $377,300
- Yakima, WA28.3 mi · 96,968 people · home $297,600
Ellensburg questions
Is Ellensburg, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ellensburg scores better for retirees than 38% of Washington towns and quieter than 19%. 9.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 25.0).
How much does a house cost in Ellensburg?
The median owner-occupied home in Ellensburg is valued at $404,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,438, so homes cost about 7.3 times income. Median rent is $1,340 a month.
What is the weather like in Ellensburg?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 20.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.0 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Ellensburg get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Ellensburg 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)