The Town FilesSt. John, Washington
Town in Whitman County · population 599 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $208,300
- Household income
- $46,250
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 27 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 57.3
St. John is a town of 599 people in Whitman County, Washington. The median home is worth $208,300, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for retirees than 94% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 92% of Washington towns, quieter than 91% of Washington towns.
How St. John 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 St. John is worth $208,300, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $46,250, which is more affordable than 74% of Washington towns. Median rent is $888 a month. 77.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. John | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $208,300 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $888 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $46,250 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 77.5% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1959 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.7% | — |
Who lives in St. John
| People | St. John | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 57.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 40.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 12.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.8% | — |
| Work from home | 19.8% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.8 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in St. John
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 28.7°F. About 17.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 26.6 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 28 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 123 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of St. John since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.25 inches on July 16, 2012.
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 St. John itself the ACS puts it at 8.3%.
Public schools in St. John
2 public schools with 141 students, about 10.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| St John Elementary | PK-5 | 77 | 9.6 |
| St John/Endicott High | 9-12 | 64 | 10.7 |
Towns near St. John
- Rosalia, WA14.1 mi · 598 people · home $197,700
- Colfax, WA17.5 mi · 2,782 people · home $245,300
- Garfield, WA21.9 mi · 562 people · home $221,200
- Tekoa, WA25.9 mi · 817 people · home $211,900
- Albion, WA26.1 mi · 550 people · home $230,700
- Palouse, WA27.2 mi · 1,015 people · home $286,200
- Cheney, WA27.6 mi · 13,255 people · home $395,900
- Fairfield, WA28.1 mi · 589 people · home $249,100
St. John questions
Is St. John, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. John scores better for retirees than 94% of Washington towns and quieter than 91%. 40.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 57.3).
How much does a house cost in St. John?
The median owner-occupied home in St. John is valued at $208,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,250, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $888 a month.
What is the weather like in St. John?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 28.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.1 inches of precipitation a year and 26.6 inches of snow.
Does St. John get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of St. John 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)