The Town FilesOdessa, Washington
Town in Lincoln County · population 896 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $199,600
- Household income
- $49,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 23° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 14 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 59.5
Odessa is a town of 896 people in Lincoln County, Washington. The median home is worth $199,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks quieter than 98% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 80% of Washington towns.
How Odessa 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 Odessa is worth $199,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $49,750, which is more affordable than 86% of Washington towns. Median rent is $800 a month. 69.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Odessa | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $199,600 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $800 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $49,750 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 69.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1949 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.3% | — |
Who lives in Odessa
| People | Odessa | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 59.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 34.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 7.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.1% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.4% | — |
| Work from home | 3.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 14.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Odessa
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 23.1°F. About 11.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 13.9 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 139 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Odessa since 1950.
Severe weather in Lincoln County since 1996
Lincoln County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| August 4, 2018 | Fire | FM-5266: Angel Springs Fire |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4309: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Lincoln County
Lincoln County had 2,662 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,315 a year. Unemployment was 4.9% in 2023; in Odessa itself the ACS puts it at 7.3%.
Public schools in Odessa
2 public schools with 229 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| P C Jantz Elementary | PK-6 | 127 | 15.9 |
| Odessa High School | 7-12 | 102 | 12.8 |
Towns near Odessa
- Ritzville, WA20.7 mi · 1,767 people · home $227,000
- Lind, WA25.3 mi · 535 people · home $231,500
- Wilbur, WA29.4 mi · 895 people · home $221,800
Odessa questions
Is Odessa, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Odessa scores better for retirees than 80% of Washington towns and quieter than 98%. 34.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 59.5).
How much does a house cost in Odessa?
The median owner-occupied home in Odessa is valued at $199,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,750, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $800 a month.
What is the weather like in Odessa?
July highs average 87.6°F and January lows 23.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.1 inches of precipitation a year and 13.9 inches of snow.
Does Odessa get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Odessa 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)