The Town FilesCarson, Washington
Community in Skamania County · population 2,323 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $490,400
- Household income
- $68,929
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 53.5
Carson is a community of 2,323 people in Skamania County, Washington. The median home is worth $490,400, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of Washington towns, quieter than 95% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 89% of Washington towns.
How Carson 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 Carson is worth $490,400, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.1 times the median household income of $68,929, which is more affordable than 10% of Washington towns. Median rent is $910 a month. 73.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carson | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $490,400 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $910 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $68,929 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 7.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 73.5% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.0% | — |
Who lives in Carson
| People | Carson | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 53.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 12.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 16.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.6% | 93.9% |
Weather in Carson
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 34.3°F. About 80.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 10.3 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 33 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Carson since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on May 4, 2017.
Severe weather in Skamania County since 1996
Skamania County has been included in 29 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 |
| July 3, 2023 | Fire | FM-5467: Tunnel Five Fire |
| January 12, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4682: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| October 17, 2022 | Fire | FM-5456: Nakia Creek Fire |
Jobs and pay in Skamania County
Skamania County had 2,197 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,276 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Carson itself the ACS puts it at 8.6%.
Public schools in Carson
2 public schools with 351 students, about 16.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind River Middle School | 6-8 | 183 | 16.6 |
| Carson Elementary | 3-5 | 168 | 16.8 |
Towns near Carson
- Stevenson, WA4.4 mi · 1,491 people · home $496,500
- Cascade Locks, OR4.5 mi · 1,379 people · home $385,100
- North Bonneville, WA9.6 mi · 1,397 people · home $445,900
- Hood River, OR14.6 mi · 8,313 people · home $684,100
- Odell, OR14.9 mi · 2,328 people · home $433,600
- White Salmon, WA16.4 mi · 2,485 people · home $614,900
- Bingen, WA17.2 mi · 778 people · home $443,400
- Trout Lake, WA23.1 mi · 672 people · home $750,000
Carson questions
Is Carson, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carson scores better for retirees than 66% of Washington towns and quieter than 95%. 26.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 53.5).
How much does a house cost in Carson?
The median owner-occupied home in Carson is valued at $490,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,929, so homes cost about 7.1 times income. Median rent is $910 a month.
What is the weather like in Carson?
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 34.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 80.2 inches of precipitation a year and 10.3 inches of snow.
Does Carson get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Carson 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)