The Town FilesGarfield, Washington
Town in Whitman County · population 562 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $221,200
- Household income
- $70,625
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 38 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 38.1
Garfield is a town of 562 people in Whitman County, Washington. The median home is worth $221,200, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 97% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 94% of Washington towns.
How Garfield 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 Garfield is worth $221,200, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $70,625, which is more affordable than 98% of Washington towns. Median rent is $864 a month. 80.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garfield | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $221,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $864 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $70,625 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 80.0% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Garfield
| People | Garfield | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 30.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.0% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Garfield
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 25.5°F. About 24.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 37.6 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Garfield since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 14, 1986 about 6.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 14, 1986.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 3, 2022.
Severe weather in Whitman County since 1996
Whitman County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 15, 2024 | Fire | DR-4759: Wildfires |
| February 4, 2021 | Fire | DR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 8, 2020 | Fire | FM-5355: Babb Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Whitman County
Whitman County had 19,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,512 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Garfield itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Public schools in Garfield
2 public schools with 79 students, about 7.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garfield Elementary | PK-5 | 51 | 10.2 |
| Garfield Middle School | 6-8 | 28 | 5.6 |
Towns near Garfield
- Palouse, WA7.5 mi · 1,015 people · home $286,200
- Colfax, WA10.9 mi · 2,782 people · home $245,300
- Potlatch, ID12.9 mi · 763 people · home $244,200
- Tekoa, WA15.1 mi · 817 people · home $211,900
- Albion, WA16.0 mi · 550 people · home $230,700
- Rosalia, WA19.2 mi · 598 people · home $197,700
- Pullman, WA19.2 mi · 32,901 people · home $424,800
- Moscow, ID20.4 mi · 25,435 people · home $376,400
Garfield questions
Is Garfield, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garfield scores better for retirees than 94% of Washington towns and quieter than 74%. 17.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Garfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Garfield is valued at $221,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,625, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $864 a month.
What is the weather like in Garfield?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 25.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.5 inches of precipitation a year and 37.6 inches of snow.
Does Garfield get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Garfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 14, 1986. 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)