The Town FilesPalouse, Washington
City in Whitman County · population 1,015 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $286,200
- Household income
- $88,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 40.7
Palouse is a city of 1,015 people in Whitman County, Washington. The median home is worth $286,200, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 97% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 94% of Washington towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Washington
- #6 in The 25 Best Small Towns for Young Families in Washington
- #15 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Washington
- #19 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Washington
- #22 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Washington
How Palouse 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 Palouse is worth $286,200, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $88,750, which is more affordable than 97% of Washington towns. Median rent is $933 a month. 85.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Palouse | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $286,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $933 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $88,750 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 85.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1938 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Palouse
| People | Palouse | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.3% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.1% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 12.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 28.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.7% | 93.9% |
Weather in Palouse
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 25.5°F. About 24.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.7 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 17 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 152 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Palouse since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 29, 1984.
Severe weather in Whitman County since 1996
Whitman County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 15, 2024 | Fire | DR-4759: Wildfires |
| February 4, 2021 | Fire | DR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 8, 2020 | Fire | FM-5355: Babb Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Whitman County
Whitman County had 19,125 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $64,512 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Palouse itself the ACS puts it at 0.5%.
Public schools in Palouse
4 public schools with 219 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palouse Elementary | PK-5 | 90 | 9.0 |
| Palouse High School | 9-12 | 49 | 7.0 |
| Garfield at Palouse High School | 9-12 | 41 | 41.0 |
| Palouse at Garfield Middle School | 6-8 | 39 | — |
Towns near Palouse
- Garfield, WA7.5 mi · 562 people · home $221,200
- Potlatch, ID8.4 mi · 763 people · home $244,200
- Albion, WA11.7 mi · 550 people · home $230,700
- Colfax, WA11.7 mi · 2,782 people · home $245,300
- Moscow, ID12.9 mi · 25,435 people · home $376,400
- Pullman, WA13.0 mi · 32,901 people · home $424,800
- Troy, ID18.6 mi · 890 people · home $300,500
- Tekoa, WA21.7 mi · 817 people · home $211,900
Palouse questions
Is Palouse, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Palouse scores better for retirees than 94% of Washington towns and quieter than 74%. 15.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.7).
How much does a house cost in Palouse?
The median owner-occupied home in Palouse is valued at $286,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $88,750, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $933 a month.
What is the weather like in Palouse?
July highs average 82.0°F and January lows 25.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 24.5 inches of precipitation a year and 40.7 inches of snow.
Does Palouse get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Palouse 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)