The Town FilesGarrett, Washington
Community in Walla Walla County · population 1,771 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $372,000
- Household income
- $118,609
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 54.9
Garrett is a community of 1,771 people in Walla Walla County, Washington. The median home is worth $372,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more of a college town than 81% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 74% of Washington towns.
How Garrett 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 Garrett is worth $372,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $118,609, which is more affordable than 98% of Washington towns. Median rent is $780 a month. 85.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garrett | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $372,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $780 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $118,609 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 85.3% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Garrett
| People | Garrett | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.5% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 7.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 6.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 12.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 8.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 11.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 93.9% |
Weather in Garrett
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 27.4°F. About 15.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.5 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 125 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garrett since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on June 27, 2023 about 8.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 27, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on August 6, 1991.
Severe weather in Walla Walla County since 1996
Walla Walla County has been included in 13 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4309: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| July 21, 2015 | Fire | FM-5090: Blue Creek Fire |
Jobs and pay in Walla Walla County
Walla Walla County had 29,090 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,812 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Garrett itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Towns near Garrett
- College Place, WA1.3 mi · 9,902 people · home $366,600
- Walla Walla, WA3.1 mi · 34,060 people · home $393,600
- Walla Walla East, WA4.8 mi · 2,286 people · home $607,900
- Milton-Freewater, OR8.6 mi · 7,151 people · home $240,000
- Weston, OR16.9 mi · 706 people · home $135,900
- Athena, OR17.5 mi · 1,209 people · home $239,200
- Waitsburg, WA18.8 mi · 1,166 people · home $266,400
- Dayton, WA27.0 mi · 2,448 people · home $243,600
Garrett questions
Is Garrett, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garrett scores better for retirees than 74% of Washington towns and quieter than 41%. 28.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.9).
How much does a house cost in Garrett?
The median owner-occupied home in Garrett is valued at $372,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $118,609, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is $780 a month.
What is the weather like in Garrett?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 27.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 15.4 inches of precipitation a year and 6.5 inches of snow.
Does Garrett get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garrett since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on June 27, 2023. 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)