The Town FilesOrchards, Washington
Community in Clark County · population 27,729 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $461,700
- Household income
- $100,146
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 35.3
Orchards is a community of 27,729 people in Clark County, Washington. The median home is worth $461,700, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more walkable than 86% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 85% of Washington towns, easier by car than 77% of Washington towns.
How Orchards 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 Orchards is worth $461,700, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.6 times the median household income of $100,146, which is more affordable than 70% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,784 a month. 66.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Orchards | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $461,700 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,784 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $100,146 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.6× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 66.3% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Orchards
| People | Orchards | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.5% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.4% | — |
| Work from home | 15.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Orchards
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 31.9°F. About 52.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.4 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 70 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orchards since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 5, 1972 about 7.8 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 300 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 27, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on July 31, 1991.
Severe weather in Clark County since 1996
Clark County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| October 17, 2022 | Fire | FM-5456: Nakia Creek Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Clark County
Clark County had 181,713 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,700 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Orchards itself the ACS puts it at 5.6%.
Towns near Orchards
- Five Corners, WA1.9 mi · 20,973 people · home $459,600
- Brush Prairie, WA2.6 mi · 2,749 people · home $568,000
- Hockinson, WA3.6 mi · 6,105 people · home $722,200
- Barberton, WA4.3 mi · 8,567 people · home $647,300
- Meadow Glade, WA4.6 mi · 2,758 people · home $650,300
- Minnehaha, WA4.8 mi · 11,871 people · home $447,900
- Vancouver, WA4.8 mi · 190,915 people · home $462,400
- Mount Vista, WA5.9 mi · 10,051 people · home $586,600
Orchards questions
Is Orchards, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Orchards scores better for retirees than 6% of Washington towns and quieter than 3%. 11.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.3).
How much does a house cost in Orchards?
The median owner-occupied home in Orchards is valued at $461,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $100,146, so homes cost about 4.6 times income. Median rent is $1,784 a month.
What is the weather like in Orchards?
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows 31.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.4 inches of precipitation a year and 1.4 inches of snow.
Does Orchards get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Orchards since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 5, 1972. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- 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)