The Town FilesBrewster, Washington
City in Okanogan County · population 1,983 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $239,600
- Household income
- $39,241
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 26.8
Brewster is a city of 1,983 people in Okanogan County, Washington. The median home is worth $239,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 94% of Washington towns.
How Brewster 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 Brewster is worth $239,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $39,241, which is more affordable than 28% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,005 a month. 44.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brewster | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $239,600 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,005 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $39,241 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 44.9% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Brewster
| People | Brewster | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 26.8 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 35.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 24.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 2.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 33.0% | — |
| Work from home | 9.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 13.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.6% | 93.9% |
Weather in Brewster
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 22.7°F. About 10.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.7 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 128 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brewster since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 30, 1987 about 3.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 1987.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 22, 2000.
Severe weather in Okanogan County since 1996
Okanogan County has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Fire | EM-3650: Wildfires |
| August 1, 2026 | Fire | FM-5657: Sinlahekin Fire |
| July 17, 2026 | Fire | FM-5646: Kaiser Canyon Fire |
| July 24, 2024 | Fire | FM-5518: Swawilla Fire |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Okanogan County
Okanogan County had 17,034 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,554 a year. Unemployment was 5.5% in 2023; in Brewster itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Brewster
4 public schools with 1,015 students, about 17.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brewster Elementary School | PK-5 | 434 | 13.2 |
| Brewster High School | 9-12 | 331 | 22.1 |
| Brewster Middle School | 6-8 | 241 | 24.1 |
| Brewster Alternative School | 9-12 | 9 | — |
Towns near Brewster
- Pateros, WA7.1 mi · 593 people · home $278,800
- Bridgeport, WA8.2 mi · 2,141 people · home $177,000
- Okanogan, WA20.0 mi · 2,379 people · home $248,400
- Chelan, WA21.4 mi · 4,222 people · home $518,000
- Twisp, WA23.7 mi · 992 people · home $348,500
- Manson, WA24.2 mi · 1,523 people · home $596,700
- Omak, WA24.4 mi · 4,860 people · home $248,900
- North Omak, WA27.6 mi · 651 people · home $428,600
Brewster questions
Is Brewster, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brewster scores better for retirees than 36% of Washington towns and quieter than 49%. 19.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 26.8).
How much does a house cost in Brewster?
The median owner-occupied home in Brewster is valued at $239,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $39,241, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is $1,005 a month.
What is the weather like in Brewster?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 22.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.8 inches of precipitation a year and 26.7 inches of snow.
Does Brewster get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Brewster since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 30, 1987. 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)