The Town FilesRoyal City, Washington
City in Grant County · population 1,776 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $228,600
- Household income
- $50,478
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 92°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 24.6
Royal City is a city of 1,776 people in Grant County, Washington. The median home is worth $228,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 96% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 91% of Washington towns, better for young professionals than 86% of Washington towns.
How Royal City 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 Royal City is worth $228,600, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $50,478, which is more affordable than 74% of Washington towns. Median rent is $753 a month. 56.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Royal City | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $228,600 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $753 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $50,478 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 56.8% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Royal City
| People | Royal City | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 37.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.7% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 35.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 1.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 39.2% | — |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 24.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 92.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Royal City
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 29.6°F. About 7.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 50 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 75 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Royal City since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 4, 2005.
Severe weather in Grant County since 1996
Grant County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 11, 2023 | Fire | FM-5469: Baird Springs Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| August 12, 2018 | Fire | FM-5271: Grass Valley Fire |
| July 20, 2018 | Fire | FM-5257: Buckshot Fire |
Jobs and pay in Grant County
Grant County had 43,158 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $63,558 a year. Unemployment was 5.2% in 2023; in Royal City itself the ACS puts it at 18%.
Public schools in Royal City
4 public schools with 1,761 students, about 17.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal High School | 9-12 | 578 | 20.6 |
| Red Rock Elementary | PK-3 | 513 | 14.7 |
| Royal Intermediate School | 4-6 | 389 | 16.9 |
| Royal Middle School | 7-8 | 281 | 21.6 |
Towns near Royal City
- George, WA16.9 mi · 809 people · home $155,000
- Mattawa, WA17.6 mi · 3,335 people · home —
- Desert Aire, WA20.5 mi · 2,288 people · home $455,100
- Cascade Valley, WA21.5 mi · 4,332 people · home —
- Othello, WA22.3 mi · 8,549 people · home $290,700
- Moses Lake, WA22.5 mi · 25,146 people · home $310,000
- Moses Lake North, WA24.8 mi · 4,050 people · home $242,200
- Quincy, WA25.5 mi · 7,543 people · home $336,800
Royal City questions
Is Royal City, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Royal City scores better for retirees than 17% of Washington towns and quieter than 42%. 6.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.6).
How much does a house cost in Royal City?
The median owner-occupied home in Royal City is valued at $228,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $50,478, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $753 a month.
What is the weather like in Royal City?
July highs average 91.6°F and January lows 29.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.5 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Royal City get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Royal City 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)