The Town FilesCoulee Dam, Washington
Town in Okanogan County · population 1,211 (2020 Census) · spans 3 counties
- Median home
- $238,500
- Household income
- $66,732
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 88°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 38.0
Coulee Dam is a town of 1,211 people in Okanogan County, Washington. The median home is worth $238,500, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 88% of Washington towns, easier by car than 83% of Washington towns, hipper than 77% of Washington towns.
How Coulee Dam 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 Coulee Dam is worth $238,500, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $66,732, which is more affordable than 94% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,033 a month. 67.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Coulee Dam | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $238,500 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,033 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $66,732 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 67.5% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1953 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.2% | — |
Who lives in Coulee Dam
| People | Coulee Dam | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.0 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.6% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 13.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 6.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 16.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Coulee Dam
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 23.3°F. About 11.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 33 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 121 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Coulee Dam since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 17, 2013.
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 Coulee Dam itself the ACS puts it at 12.7%.
Public schools in Coulee Dam
2 public schools with 689 students, about 15.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Roosevelt Elementary | PK-6 | 350 | 16.7 |
| Lake Roosevelt Jr/Sr High School | 7-12 | 339 | 14.7 |
Towns near Coulee Dam
- Grand Coulee, WA2.4 mi · 972 people · home $222,000
- Electric City, WA5.0 mi · 956 people · home $198,400
- Wilbur, WA19.0 mi · 895 people · home $221,800
- Coulee City, WA28.6 mi · 549 people · home $165,500
Coulee Dam questions
Is Coulee Dam, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Coulee Dam scores better for retirees than 62% of Washington towns and quieter than 59%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.0).
How much does a house cost in Coulee Dam?
The median owner-occupied home in Coulee Dam is valued at $238,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,732, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,033 a month.
What is the weather like in Coulee Dam?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 23.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.1 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Coulee Dam get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Coulee Dam 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)