The Town FilesKittitas, Washington
City in Kittitas County · population 1,438 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $316,700
- Household income
- $80,278
- Jan low / Jul high
- 20° / 85°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 40.3
Kittitas is a city of 1,438 people in Kittitas County, Washington. The median home is worth $316,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for cycling than 95% of Washington towns, quieter than 93% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 86% of Washington towns.
How Kittitas 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 Kittitas is worth $316,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $80,278, which is more affordable than 89% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,351 a month. 71.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kittitas | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $316,700 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,351 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $80,278 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 71.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Kittitas
| People | Kittitas | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 13.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.5% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.9% | — |
| Work from home | 9.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 93.9% |
Weather in Kittitas
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 20.2°F. About 9.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 24 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 155 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Kittitas since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 29, 2013.
Severe weather in Kittitas County since 1996
Kittitas County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| February 4, 2021 | Fire | DR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Kittitas County
Kittitas County had 16,775 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,172 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Kittitas itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Kittitas
3 public schools with 562 students, about 16.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kittitas High School | 6-12 | 307 | 17.1 |
| Kittitas Elementary School | K-5 | 253 | 15.8 |
| Kittitas B-5 Special Ed Program | PK-PK | 2 | — |
Towns near Kittitas
- Ellensburg, WA6.3 mi · 18,666 people · home $404,100
- Naches, WA22.0 mi · 1,084 people · home $271,700
- Selah, WA24.0 mi · 8,153 people · home $414,600
- Gleed, WA24.0 mi · 2,873 people · home $353,900
- Tieton, WA25.1 mi · 1,389 people · home $230,800
- Cowiche, WA25.6 mi · 535 people · home $219,900
- Terrace Heights, WA26.5 mi · 9,244 people · home $377,300
- George, WA27.1 mi · 809 people · home $155,000
Kittitas questions
Is Kittitas, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kittitas scores better for retirees than 86% of Washington towns and quieter than 93%. 13.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.3).
How much does a house cost in Kittitas?
The median owner-occupied home in Kittitas is valued at $316,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,278, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,351 a month.
What is the weather like in Kittitas?
July highs average 84.8°F and January lows 20.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.0 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Kittitas get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Kittitas in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- 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)