The Town FilesPullman, Washington
City in Whitman County · population 32,901 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $424,800
- Household income
- $46,812
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 33 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 23.2
Pullman is a city of 32,901 people in Whitman County, Washington. The median home is worth $424,800, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks hipper than 100% of Washington towns, better for young professionals than 99% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 98% of Washington towns.
How Pullman 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 Pullman is worth $424,800, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 9.1 times the median household income of $46,812, which is more affordable than 2% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,062 a month. 32.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pullman | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $424,800 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,062 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $46,812 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 9.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 32.0% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.5% | — |
Who lives in Pullman
| People | Pullman | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.2 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.7% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 12.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 30.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 2.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.8% | — |
| Work from home | 10.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 14.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Pullman
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 25.6°F. About 20.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 32.7 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 22 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Pullman since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 2, 1973 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 2, 1973.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 27, 2001.
Severe weather in Whitman County since 1996
Whitman County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 15, 2024 | Fire | DR-4759: Wildfires |
| February 4, 2021 | Fire | DR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 8, 2020 | Fire | FM-5355: Babb Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Whitman County
Whitman County had 19,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,512 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Pullman itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in Pullman
7 public schools with 2,807 students, about 15.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pullman High School | 9-12 | 855 | 18.2 |
| Lincoln Middle School | 6-8 | 621 | 18.3 |
| Kamiak Elementary | PK-5 | 339 | 13.6 |
| Sunnyside Elementary | PK-5 | 316 | 14.4 |
| Jefferson Elementary | PK-5 | 308 | 12.8 |
| Franklin Elementary | PK-5 | 250 | 13.2 |
| Pullman Community Montessori (charter) | K-9 | 118 | 19.7 |
Towns near Pullman
- Moscow, ID8.0 mi · 25,435 people · home $376,400
- Colfax, WA14.5 mi · 2,782 people · home $245,300
- Clarkston, WA22.7 mi · 7,161 people · home $253,500
- West Clarkston-Highland, WA23.4 mi · 5,488 people · home $282,500
- Lewiston, ID24.9 mi · 34,203 people · home $333,700
- Clarkston Heights-Vineland, WA25.0 mi · 7,275 people · home $385,900
Pullman questions
Is Pullman, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pullman scores better for retirees than 41% of Washington towns and quieter than 12%. 6.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 23.2).
How much does a house cost in Pullman?
The median owner-occupied home in Pullman is valued at $424,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,812, so homes cost about 9.1 times income. Median rent is $1,062 a month.
What is the weather like in Pullman?
July highs average 84.1°F and January lows 25.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 20.4 inches of precipitation a year and 32.7 inches of snow.
Does Pullman get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Pullman since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 2, 1973. 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)