The Town FilesWaterville, Washington
Town in Douglas County · population 1,134 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $262,000
- Household income
- $78,589
- Jan low / Jul high
- 17° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 28 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 47.3
Waterville is a town of 1,134 people in Douglas County, Washington. The median home is worth $262,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks easier by car than 98% of Washington towns, quieter than 94% of Washington towns, better for families than 83% of Washington towns.
How Waterville 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 Waterville is worth $262,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 3.3 times the median household income of $78,589, which is more affordable than 97% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,200 a month. 87.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waterville | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $262,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,200 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $78,589 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.3× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 87.9% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1941 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 7.6% | — |
Who lives in Waterville
| People | Waterville | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 47.3 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.8% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 12.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 3.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.8% | — |
| Work from home | 14.0% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.9% | 93.9% |
Weather in Waterville
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 16.7°F. About 11.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 28.1 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 160 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on July 4, 1992 about 1.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 4, 1992.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 4 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 10, 2023.
Severe weather in Douglas County since 1996
Douglas County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| February 4, 2021 | Fire | DR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| September 7, 2020 | Fire | FM-5351: Cold Springs/Pearl Hill Fire |
| July 12, 2020 | Fire | FM-5320: Road 11 Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Douglas County
Douglas County had 12,545 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,441 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Waterville itself the ACS puts it at 2.9%.
Public schools in Waterville
2 public schools with 265 students, about 13.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterville High School | 5-12 | 150 | 15.0 |
| Waterville Elementary | K-4 | 115 | 12.8 |
Towns near Waterville
- Entiat, WA7.3 mi · 1,326 people · home $364,500
- Chelan, WA13.8 mi · 4,222 people · home $518,000
- Manson, WA16.2 mi · 1,523 people · home $596,700
- Sunnyslope, WA16.5 mi · 4,041 people · home $714,200
- East Wenatchee, WA18.8 mi · 14,158 people · home $429,200
- Wenatchee, WA19.0 mi · 35,508 people · home $433,700
- Rock Island, WA19.3 mi · 1,279 people · home $273,500
- South Wenatchee, WA20.3 mi · 1,522 people · home $249,100
Waterville questions
Is Waterville, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waterville scores better for retirees than 81% of Washington towns and quieter than 94%. 19.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 47.3).
How much does a house cost in Waterville?
The median owner-occupied home in Waterville is valued at $262,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $78,589, so homes cost about 3.3 times income. Median rent is $1,200 a month.
What is the weather like in Waterville?
July highs average 83.6°F and January lows 16.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 11.2 inches of precipitation a year and 28.1 inches of snow.
Does Waterville get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Waterville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on July 4, 1992. 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)