1st Advantage MortgageAbout 65% of Chelan County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $82,381. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Chelan County at a glance
- Household income in Chelan County
- Chelan County housing compared with Washington
- Jobs and commutes in Chelan County
- Counties near Chelan County
- Towns and communities in Chelan County
- Room for a loan payment in Chelan County
- Borrowing situations common in Chelan County
- People and households in Chelan County
- Lender oversight for Chelan County
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Chelan County at a glance
Chelan County is home to about 80,172 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 17th most populous of 39 county-level areas in Washington. Spread over 2,921 square miles, that works out to roughly 27.4 residents per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (5 incorporated, 4 census-designated); the largest is Wenatchee, with about 35,484 residents, or 44% of the county.
Household income in Chelan County
The median household income in Chelan County is $82,381; statewide it is $98,141, so Chelan County runs 16% below Washington as a whole. In the state ranking that is 14th of 39.
| Income band | Share in Chelan County | Difference from Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 19.3% | +3.2 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.9% | +5.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.2% | -2.4 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.6% | -5.9 pts |
About 19% of households earn under $35,000, while 41% clear $100,000. 8.3% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 9.9%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.465 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a Chelan County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Chelan County housing compared with Washington
Renters in Chelan County pay a median of $1,226 a month, 30% below the Washington figure of $1,760. By the Census definition, 41% of Chelan County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $490,100, or 5.9 years of median income. Owners occupy 65% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1983.
| Chelan County | Washington | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,226/mo | $1,760/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $490,100 | $564,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 65% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 41% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 30% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 19% | 7% | n/a |
Jobs and commutes in Chelan County
The biggest employer of Chelan County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 24% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 8% of workers here, versus 2% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 10% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.8% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry | Share of Chelan County workers | vs Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.9% | +2.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.2% | +0.6 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.2% | +1.9 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.1% | -5.5 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 8.5% | +6.1 pts |
| Construction | 7.0% | -0.1 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Chelan County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
Counties near Chelan County
Douglas County is closest, 44 miles from center to center; the sixth, Grant County, is 70 miles off. Income ranges from $63,207 in Okanogan County to $124,746 in King County; 2 of these neighbors top Chelan County's median.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelan County | - | $82,381 | $1,226/mo | 65% |
| Douglas County, WA | 44 mi | $80,363 | $1,305/mo | 69% |
| Kittitas County, WA | 51 mi | $73,804 | $1,341/mo | 61% |
| Snohomish County, WA | 55 mi | $111,246 | $1,949/mo | 68% |
| King County, WA | 62 mi | $124,746 | $2,092/mo | 55% |
| Okanogan County, WA | 62 mi | $63,207 | $887/mo | 72% |
| Grant County, WA | 70 mi | $73,267 | $1,116/mo | 66% |
Towns and communities in Chelan County
The table lists the 9 largest of 9 Census places in Chelan County, by population. Together all 9 hold about 53,618 people, so roughly 33% of residents live outside any named place. Sunnyslope has the highest median household income on the list ($135,769) and South Wenatchee the lowest ($63,929), counting places with at least 500 residents. Median rent ranges from $1,063 in Cashmere to $2,033 in Manson. None of the 9 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee | city | 35,484 | $73,040 | $1,248 | 32 mi |
| Chelan | city | 4,350 | $82,637 | $1,368 | 28 mi |
| Sunnyslope | CDP | 3,706 | $135,769 | $1,306 | 28 mi |
| Cashmere | city | 3,304 | $64,053 | $1,063 | 25 mi |
| Leavenworth | city | 2,569 | $69,943 | $1,159 | 19 mi |
| Manson | CDP | 1,462 | $91,319 | $2,033 | 21 mi |
| Entiat | city | 1,284 | $76,111 | $1,375 | 22 mi |
| South Wenatchee | CDP | 1,226 | $63,929 | $1,362 | 36 mi |
| Chelan Falls | CDP | 233 | n/a | n/a | 30 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Room for a loan payment in Chelan County
Chelan County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Monthly gross at the median, Chelan County: $6,865
- Rent at the median, $1,226, takes 18% of that
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,726 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
If your rent is above $1,226, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Borrowing situations common in Chelan County
Where the Chelan County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Uninsured care. 11% lack coverage here; nonprofit hospitals must publish an assistance policy, so ask for it first (guide).
- Six-figure budgets. For the 41% earning $100,000 or more, lifestyle creep, not approval, is the usual problem.
- Paperwork. ID, proof of income and a bank account are the basics (requirements).
People and households in Chelan County
College graduates make up 31% of the adult population. 10.5% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Chelan County | Washington | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.4 | 38.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 31.2% | 39.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 13.2% | 7.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.5% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.8% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 19.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.7% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Chelan County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 43.4% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.8% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 4.4% |
| 60+ min | 5.7% |
Lender oversight for Chelan County
Consumer lenders serving Chelan County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Washington that is the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Washington guide covers state rules in more detail.
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Chelan County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Washington.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Washington guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Chelan County household make?
About $82,381 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 16% below the Washington median.
How does Chelan County rent compare with Washington?
$1,226 locally versus $1,760 for the state, 30% below.
I live in a small Chelan County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Wenatchee, Chelan, Sunnyslope, Cashmere, Leavenworth and 4 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Chelan County or elsewhere in Washington, the same rules apply.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Chelan County?
Start with the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.