The Town FilesNorth Yelm, Washington
Community in Thurston County · population 3,140 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $384,500
- Household income
- $73,725
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 40.0
North Yelm is a community of 3,140 people in Thurston County, Washington. The median home is worth $384,500, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for cycling than 93% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 87% of Washington towns, easier by car than 76% of Washington towns.
How North Yelm 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 North Yelm is worth $384,500, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.2 times the median household income of $73,725, which is more affordable than 55% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,464 a month. 74.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | North Yelm | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $384,500 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,464 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $73,725 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.2× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 74.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in North Yelm
| People | North Yelm | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 19.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 12.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 12.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 35.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in North Yelm
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 4.4 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
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North Yelm since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on January 28, 2006 about 5.8 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 Thurston County since 1996
Thurston County has been included in 30 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 |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5359: Bordeaux Road Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Thurston County
Thurston County had 128,824 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,043 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in North Yelm itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Towns near North Yelm
- Yelm, WA2.2 mi · 10,617 people · home $455,300
- Fort Lewis, WA9.2 mi · 14,052 people · home —
- DuPont, WA9.9 mi · 10,151 people · home $583,600
- Tanglewilde, WA9.9 mi · 6,265 people · home $444,900
- Lacey, WA10.2 mi · 53,526 people · home $457,100
- South Creek, WA10.7 mi · 2,519 people · home $610,600
- North Fort Lewis, WA10.8 mi · 5,978 people · home —
- Spanaway, WA12.8 mi · 35,476 people · home $445,700
North Yelm questions
Is North Yelm, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, North Yelm scores better for retirees than 2% of Washington towns and quieter than 14%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.0).
How much does a house cost in North Yelm?
The median owner-occupied home in North Yelm is valued at $384,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,725, so homes cost about 5.2 times income. Median rent is $1,464 a month.
What is the weather like in North Yelm?
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 4.4 inches of snow.
Does North Yelm get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North Yelm 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)