The Town FilesRitzville, Washington
City in Adams County · population 1,767 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $227,000
- Household income
- $56,442
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 87°
- Snow a year
- 16 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 40.1
Ritzville is a city of 1,767 people in Adams County, Washington. The median home is worth $227,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 85% of Washington towns, easier by car than 84% of Washington towns, quieter than 83% of Washington towns.
How Ritzville 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 Ritzville is worth $227,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $56,442, which is more affordable than 86% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,002 a month. 76.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Ritzville | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $227,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,002 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $56,442 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 76.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1949 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.1% | — |
Who lives in Ritzville
| People | Ritzville | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 23.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Ritzville
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 23.9°F. About 12.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 15.7 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 29 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 148 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ritzville since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 12, 1980 about 0.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 12, 1980.
Severe weather in Adams County since 1996
Adams County has been included in 10 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 4, 2022 | Fire | FM-5447: Lind Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4309: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| March 2, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1825: Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow |
Jobs and pay in Adams County
Adams County had 9,436 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,291 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Ritzville itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Public schools in Ritzville
3 public schools with 357 students, about 14.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ritzville Grade School | PK-5 | 182 | 14.0 |
| Ritzville High School | 9-12 | 128 | 12.8 |
| Lind-Ritzville High School | 9-12 | 47 | 23.5 |
Towns near Ritzville
- Lind, WA15.5 mi · 535 people · home $231,500
- Odessa, WA20.7 mi · 896 people · home $199,600
Ritzville questions
Is Ritzville, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Ritzville scores better for retirees than 48% of Washington towns and quieter than 83%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 40.1).
How much does a house cost in Ritzville?
The median owner-occupied home in Ritzville is valued at $227,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,442, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,002 a month.
What is the weather like in Ritzville?
July highs average 86.7°F and January lows 23.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 12.8 inches of precipitation a year and 15.7 inches of snow.
Does Ritzville get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Ritzville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 12, 1980. 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)