The Town FilesSouth Wenatchee, Washington
Community in Chelan County · population 1,522 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $249,100
- Household income
- $63,929
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 17 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 33.6
South Wenatchee is a community of 1,522 people in Chelan County, Washington. The median home is worth $249,100, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more walkable than 87% of Washington towns, better transit than 79% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 78% of Washington towns.
How South Wenatchee 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 South Wenatchee is worth $249,100, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.9 times the median household income of $63,929, which is more affordable than 89% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,362 a month. 61.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | South Wenatchee | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $249,100 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,362 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $63,929 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.9× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 61.2% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in South Wenatchee
| People | South Wenatchee | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.5% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 26.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 32.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in South Wenatchee
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 25.6°F. About 9.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 16.5 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 36 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 105 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of South Wenatchee since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on May 19, 2004 about 2.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2004.
Severe weather in Chelan County since 1996
Chelan County has been included in 53 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Fire | EM-3650: Wildfires |
| 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 |
| September 26, 2025 | Fire | FM-5614: Lower Sugarloaf Fire |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Chelan County
Chelan County had 44,962 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,540 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in South Wenatchee itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Towns near South Wenatchee
- East Wenatchee, WA1.6 mi · 14,158 people · home $429,200
- Wenatchee, WA3.4 mi · 35,508 people · home $433,700
- Rock Island, WA7.0 mi · 1,279 people · home $273,500
- Sunnyslope, WA8.2 mi · 4,041 people · home $714,200
- Cashmere, WA11.9 mi · 3,248 people · home $442,900
- Entiat, WA19.8 mi · 1,326 people · home $364,500
- Waterville, WA20.3 mi · 1,134 people · home $262,000
- Leavenworth, WA22.3 mi · 2,263 people · home $617,000
South Wenatchee questions
Is South Wenatchee, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, South Wenatchee scores better for retirees than 1% of Washington towns and quieter than 11%. 9.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.6).
How much does a house cost in South Wenatchee?
The median owner-occupied home in South Wenatchee is valued at $249,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,929, so homes cost about 3.9 times income. Median rent is $1,362 a month.
What is the weather like in South Wenatchee?
July highs average 89.0°F and January lows 25.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 9.0 inches of precipitation a year and 16.5 inches of snow.
Does South Wenatchee get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of South Wenatchee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on May 19, 2004. 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)