The Town FilesOcosta, Washington
Community in Grays Harbor County · population 502 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $122,400
- Household income
- $48,203
- Jan low / Jul high
- 38° / 66°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 55.7
Ocosta is a community of 502 people in Grays Harbor County, Washington. The median home is worth $122,400, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more seaside character than 92% of Washington towns, easier by car than 92% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 89% of Washington towns.
How Ocosta 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 Ocosta is worth $122,400, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $48,203, which is more affordable than 100% of Washington towns. 100.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ocosta | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $122,400 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | — | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $48,203 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 100.0% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Ocosta
| People | Ocosta | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 55.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 28.9% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.6% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 17.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.6% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | — min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 100.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ocosta
July highs average 65.9°F and January lows 37.5°F. About 75.2 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 37 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ocosta since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on December 22, 1997 about 4.4 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 22, 1997.
Severe weather in Grays Harbor County since 1996
Grays Harbor County has been included in 35 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 |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: 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 |
Jobs and pay in Grays Harbor County
Grays Harbor County had 23,816 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,803 a year. Unemployment was 6.3% in 2023; in Ocosta itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Towns near Ocosta
- Cohassett Beach, WA3.8 mi · 771 people · home $404,700
- Grayland, WA4.1 mi · 847 people · home $227,900
- Westport, WA4.1 mi · 2,213 people · home $196,600
- Ocean Shores, WA7.7 mi · 6,715 people · home $383,500
- Hoquiam, WA8.6 mi · 8,776 people · home $228,200
- Aberdeen, WA12.1 mi · 17,013 people · home $237,300
- Cosmopolis, WA13.1 mi · 1,638 people · home $317,000
- Central Park, WA16.7 mi · 2,841 people · home $335,500
Ocosta questions
Is Ocosta, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ocosta scores better for retirees than 35% of Washington towns and quieter than 88%. 28.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 55.7).
How much does a house cost in Ocosta?
The median owner-occupied home in Ocosta is valued at $122,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $48,203, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Ocosta?
July highs average 65.9°F and January lows 37.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 75.2 inches of precipitation a year and 0.0 inches of snow.
Does Ocosta get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ocosta since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on December 22, 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)