The Town FilesIlwaco, Washington
City in Pacific County · population 1,087 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $370,300
- Household income
- $98,200
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 65°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 48.9
Ilwaco is a city of 1,087 people in Pacific County, Washington. The median home is worth $370,300, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more seaside character than 97% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 93% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Washington towns.
How Ilwaco 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 Ilwaco is worth $370,300, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $98,200, which is more affordable than 91% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,170 a month. 65.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ilwaco | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $370,300 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,170 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $98,200 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 65.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 17.4% | — |
Who lives in Ilwaco
| People | Ilwaco | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 13.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.0% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 16.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ilwaco
July highs average 65.2°F and January lows 35.9°F. About 78.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.0 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 0 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 41 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ilwaco since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on March 19, 2021 about 1.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 19, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on October 14, 2016.
Severe weather in Pacific County since 1996
Pacific County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, biological, earthquake.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| April 8, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4593: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Pacific County
Pacific County had 6,498 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,311 a year. Unemployment was 6% in 2023; in Ilwaco itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Ilwaco
2 public schools with 522 students, about 20.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ilwaco High School | 9-12 | 307 | 21.9 |
| Hilltop Elementary School | 6-8 | 215 | 17.9 |
Towns near Ilwaco
- Long Beach, WA3.7 mi · 1,688 people · home $362,700
- Warrenton, OR10.7 mi · 6,277 people · home $415,800
- Ocean Park, WA12.7 mi · 1,814 people · home $350,500
- Astoria, OR13.3 mi · 10,181 people · home $444,800
- Gearhart, OR20.1 mi · 1,793 people · home $688,100
- Svensen, OR20.8 mi · 853 people · home $383,100
- Seaside, OR22.9 mi · 7,115 people · home $459,500
- Knappa, OR23.5 mi · 1,007 people · home $442,100
Ilwaco questions
Is Ilwaco, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ilwaco scores better for retirees than 93% of Washington towns and quieter than 84%. 26.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.9).
How much does a house cost in Ilwaco?
The median owner-occupied home in Ilwaco is valued at $370,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,200, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $1,170 a month.
What is the weather like in Ilwaco?
July highs average 65.2°F and January lows 35.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 78.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Ilwaco get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Ilwaco since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on March 19, 2021. 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)