The Town FilesMcKenna, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 678 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $539,800
- Household income
- $92,667
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 52.3
McKenna is a community of 678 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $539,800, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more of a college town than 88% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 84% of Washington towns, better for families than 72% of Washington towns.
How McKenna 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 McKenna is worth $539,800, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $92,667, which is more affordable than 36% of Washington towns. 63.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | McKenna | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $539,800 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | — | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $92,667 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 63.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in McKenna
| People | McKenna | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 52.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 27.5% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.5% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 15.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.2% | — |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | — min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 73.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in McKenna
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 33.2°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.6 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 77 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McKenna since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on January 28, 2006 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 28, 2006.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on September 1, 1997.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| 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 |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 333,492 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,395 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in McKenna itself the ACS puts it at 19.8%.
Public schools in McKenna
1 public school with 387 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| McKenna Elementary | PK-5 | 387 | 16.8 |
Towns near McKenna
- North Yelm, WA3.7 mi · 3,140 people · home $384,500
- Roy, WA3.8 mi · 816 people · home $442,600
- Yelm, WA4.4 mi · 10,617 people · home $455,300
- Rainier, WA7.1 mi · 2,369 people · home $425,900
- South Creek, WA8.7 mi · 2,519 people · home $610,600
- Nisqually Indian Community, WA9.0 mi · 668 people · home $310,000
- Fort Lewis, WA11.1 mi · 14,052 people · home —
- Elk Plain, WA11.4 mi · 14,534 people · home $473,500
McKenna questions
Is McKenna, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, McKenna scores better for retirees than 38% of Washington towns and quieter than 52%. 27.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.3).
How much does a house cost in McKenna?
The median owner-occupied home in McKenna is valued at $539,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,667, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in McKenna?
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 33.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 4.6 inches of snow.
Does McKenna get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of McKenna since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on January 28, 2006. 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)