The Town Files

Desert Aire, Washington

Community in Grant County · population 2,288 (2020 Census)

Map: where Desert Aire is in WashingtonDesert Aire
Median home
$455,100
Household income
$85,960
Jan low / Jul high
30° / 92°
Snow a year
10 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
0
Median age
31.5

Desert Aire is a community of 2,288 people in Grant County, Washington. The median home is worth $455,100, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for a vacation home than 97% of Washington towns, quieter than 82% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 78% of Washington towns.

How Desert Aire 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.

Desert Aire lifestyle rankings vs other Washington townsRetirement78th pctFamilies67th pctQuiet82nd pctWalkabilitybottomFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals14th pctVibrancy8th pctHip & trendy2nd pctCollege town9th pctUpscale43rd pctVacation homes97th pctSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransit54th pctDriving38th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Desert Aire is worth $455,100, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $85,960, which is more affordable than 52% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,739 a month. 82.5% of households own their home.

Desert Aire vs Grant County vs typical Washington townDesert AireGrant CountyTypical Washington townHome value$455,100$299,500$475,000Household income$85,960$73,267$90,625Monthly rent$1,739$1,116$1,597
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Washington towns with 500+ people.
HousingDesert AireTypical Washington town
Median home value$455,100$475,000
Median rent$1,739$1,597
Median household income$85,960$90,625
Home value ÷ income5.3×5.3×
Homeownership82.5%74.4%
Median year built20021985
Seasonal / vacation homes18.9%—

Who lives in Desert Aire

PeopleDesert AireTypical Washington town
Median age31.540.1
Age 65 and over20.5%17.9%
Under 1831.1%—
Bachelor's degree or higher25.3%27.6%
Below the poverty line7.8%8.5%
Veterans3.6%—
Born outside the U.S.26.9%—
Work from home3.7%13.4%
Average commute18.9 min27.1 min
Homes with broadband94.2%93.9%

Weather in Desert Aire

July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 29.6°F. About 7.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.9 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 75 nights at or below freezing.

Desert Aire monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°100°32° freezing41°30°Jan47°32°Feb57°38°Mar65°45°Apr75°53°May82°60°Jun92°67°Jul90°66°Aug80°58°Sep65°46°Oct50°36°Nov41°30°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue1.13.20.61.20.70.40.60.60.50.20.10.10.70.91.71.43.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Priest Rapids Dam station (3.5 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 1 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Desert Aire since 1950.

Severe weather in Grant County since 1996

Storm events in Grant County since 1996 by typeHail14Wildfire78High Wind57Ice Storm13Dust Storm51Heavy Snow167Flash Flood8Strong Wind18
NOAA Storm Events Database, Grant County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 7 deaths recorded.

Grant County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
July 11, 2023FireFM-5469: Baird Springs Fire
March 22, 2020BiologicalDR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3427: Covid-19
August 12, 2018FireFM-5271: Grass Valley Fire
July 20, 2018FireFM-5257: Buckshot Fire

Jobs and pay in Grant County

Grant County had 43,158 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,558 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Desert Aire itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.

Largest industries in Grant CountyManufacturing4,587 jobs · $74,745Retail3,540 jobs · $39,237Health care & social assistan…3,226 jobs · $53,467Hotels & restaurants2,783 jobs · $25,760Wholesale trade2,053 jobs · $94,319Construction1,814 jobs · $81,721
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Grant County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Grant 5.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near Desert Aire

Desert Aire questions

Is Desert Aire, Washington a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Desert Aire scores better for retirees than 78% of Washington towns and quieter than 82%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.5).

How much does a house cost in Desert Aire?

The median owner-occupied home in Desert Aire is valued at $455,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,960, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is $1,739 a month.

What is the weather like in Desert Aire?

July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 29.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.5 inches of precipitation a year and 9.9 inches of snow.

Does Desert Aire get tornadoes?

No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Desert Aire in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Desert Aire's Census boundary (GEOID 5317617). Comparisons use the median of Washington towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.