The Town FilesWhite Swan, Washington
Community in Yakima County · population 789 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $109,100
- Household income
- $60,234
- Jan low / Jul high
- 24° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 20 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 24.7
White Swan is a community of 789 people in Yakima County, Washington. The median home is worth $109,100, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks easier by car than 83% of Washington towns, better for young professionals than 72% of Washington towns, better transit than 70% of Washington towns.
How White Swan 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 White Swan is worth $109,100, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 1.8 times the median household income of $60,234, which is more affordable than 100% of Washington towns. Median rent is $475 a month. 56.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | White Swan | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $109,100 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $475 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $60,234 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.8× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 56.5% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in White Swan
| People | White Swan | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.3% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 40.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.2% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in White Swan
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.4°F. About 7.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.4 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 41 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 127 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of White Swan since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on August 26, 1997 about 0.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 26, 1997.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 31, 2010.
Severe weather in Yakima County since 1996
Yakima County has been included in 39 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 3, 2026 | Fire | EM-3650: Wildfires |
| July 26, 2026 | Fire | FM-5649: Signal Peak Fire |
| July 26, 2026 | Fire | FM-5651: Ransier Fire |
| 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 |
Jobs and pay in Yakima County
Yakima County had 116,547 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,108 a year. Unemployment was 5.8% in 2023; in White Swan itself the ACS puts it at 15.8%.
Public schools in White Swan
2 public schools with 413 students, about 12.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Swan High School | 9-12 | 272 | 10.1 |
| Mount Adams Middle School | 7-8 | 141 | 20.1 |
Towns near White Swan
- Harrah, WA9.6 mi · 585 people · home $221,900
- Ahtanum, WA13.8 mi · 4,046 people · home $337,500
- Wapato, WA15.8 mi · 4,607 people · home $185,100
- Summitview, WA15.8 mi · 2,066 people · home $409,600
- Union Gap, WA17.0 mi · 6,568 people · home $210,600
- Yakima, WA17.3 mi · 96,968 people · home $297,600
- Toppenish, WA20.3 mi · 8,854 people · home $230,000
- Buena, WA20.3 mi · 1,048 people · home $237,000
White Swan questions
Is White Swan, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, White Swan scores better for retirees than 29% of Washington towns and quieter than 68%. 7.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 24.7).
How much does a house cost in White Swan?
The median owner-occupied home in White Swan is valued at $109,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,234, so homes cost about 1.8 times income. Median rent is $475 a month.
What is the weather like in White Swan?
July highs average 90.2°F and January lows 24.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.8 inches of precipitation a year and 20.4 inches of snow.
Does White Swan get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of White Swan since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on August 26, 1997. 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)