The Town Files

Kittitas County, Washington

47,172 people. The median home is worth $497,400 (typical Washington town: $475,000) and the median household earns $73,804.

Towns in Kittitas County

Towns in Kittitas County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Ellensburg18,666$404,100$55,43825.0

People and housing

Kittitas CountyTypical Washington town
Median home value$497,400$475,000
Median rent$1,341$1,597
Median household income$73,804$90,625
Median age35.840.1
Bachelor's degree or higher37.0%27.6%
Below the poverty line14.4%8.5%

Jobs and pay

16,775 jobs in 2024, average pay $54,172 a year.

Largest industries in Kittitas CountyHotels & restaurants2,541 jobs · $31,269Retail1,831 jobs · $36,340Health care & social assistan…1,414 jobs · $47,659Construction1,378 jobs · $73,252Manufacturing636 jobs · $55,555Arts & recreation618 jobs · $32,067
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Kittitas County0%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023 5.1%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 179 storm events in Kittitas County from 1996 to 2026, with 2 deaths.

Storm events in Kittitas County by type since 1996Hail7Flood16Wildfire13High Wind13Ice Storm4Heavy Rain5Heavy Snow67Flash Flood5Frost/Freeze14Winter Storm4
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Kittitas County has been included in 29 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 7, 2026FloodDR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
December 12, 2025FloodEM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
February 4, 2021FireDR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds
March 22, 2020BiologicalDR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3427: Covid-19
July 10, 2018FireFM-5253: Ryegrass Coulee Fire
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).