The Town FilesHarrah, Washington
Town in Yakima County · population 585 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $221,900
- Household income
- $73,958
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 33.1
Harrah is a town of 585 people in Yakima County, Washington. The median home is worth $221,900, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 73% of Washington towns.
How Harrah 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 Harrah is worth $221,900, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $73,958, which is more affordable than 99% of Washington towns. Median rent is $963 a month. 63.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Harrah | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $221,900 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $963 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $73,958 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 63.3% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Harrah
| People | Harrah | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 27.6% | — |
| Work from home | 6.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Harrah
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.4°F. About 7.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.4 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Harrah since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 26, 1997 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 26, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 31, 2010.
Severe weather in Yakima County since 1996
Yakima County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Fire | EM-3650: Wildfires |
| July 26, 2026 | Fire | FM-5649: Signal Peak Fire |
| July 26, 2026 | Fire | FM-5651: Ransier Fire |
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Yakima County
Yakima County had 116,547 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,108 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in Harrah itself the ACS puts it at 10.3%.
Public schools in Harrah
1 public school with 462 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrah Elementary School | PK-6 | 462 | 14.4 |
Towns near Harrah
- Wapato, WA6.3 mi · 4,607 people · home $185,100
- White Swan, WA9.6 mi · 789 people · home $109,100
- Union Gap, WA10.5 mi · 6,568 people · home $210,600
- Buena, WA10.7 mi · 1,048 people · home $237,000
- Ahtanum, WA11.0 mi · 4,046 people · home $337,500
- Toppenish, WA11.0 mi · 8,854 people · home $230,000
- Yakima, WA12.8 mi · 96,968 people · home $297,600
- Zillah, WA12.8 mi · 3,179 people · home $334,800
Harrah questions
Is Harrah, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Harrah scores better for retirees than 32% of Washington towns and quieter than 47%. 11.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.1).
How much does a house cost in Harrah?
The median owner-occupied home in Harrah is valued at $221,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,958, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $963 a month.
What is the weather like in Harrah?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.8 inches of precipitation a year and 20.4 inches of snow.
Does Harrah get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Harrah since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 26, 1997. 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)