1st Advantage MortgageThe median Walla Walla County household earns $74,202, and 12% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Who lives in Walla Walla County
- What Walla Walla County households earn
- Work, industries and travel time in Walla Walla County
- What it costs to live in Walla Walla County
- Walla Walla County and the counties next door
- Places inside Walla Walla County
- Debt-to-income at Walla Walla County's medians
- Walla Walla County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Reading the Walla Walla County data as a borrower
- Checklist for Walla Walla County applicants
- Washington rules that apply in Walla Walla County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Walla Walla County
With an estimated 62,161 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), Walla Walla County ranks 21st of 39 in Washington for population. It covers 1,270 square miles of land, or about 49 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Walla Walla, WA metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 10 places in the county (4 incorporated, 6 census-designated); the largest is Walla Walla, with about 33,925 residents, or 55% of the county.
What Walla Walla County households earn
The median household income in Walla Walla County is $74,202; statewide it is $98,141, so Walla Walla County runs 24% below Washington as a whole. In the state ranking that is 20th of 39.
| Band | Walla Walla County | Compared with Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 23.1% | +7.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 42.3% | +7.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.2% | -5.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.5% | -9.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 35% of Walla Walla County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. Census counts 12.1% of Walla Walla County residents in poverty, against 9.9% across Washington. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.462 here. A household earning below the $74,202 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Work, industries and travel time in Walla Walla County
The biggest employer of Walla Walla County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 29% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). Compared with Washington, the county leans toward education and health care (29% against 22%). The survey's unemployment rate for Walla Walla County averages 6.2% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 5.1%). Long commutes are the exception here: 6% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Top industries | Walla Walla County share | +/- vs Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.3% | +7.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.5% | +0.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 10.7% | +2.5 pts |
| Construction | 7.3% | +0.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.2% | -7.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 7.2% | -1.9 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
What it costs to live in Walla Walla County
Renters in Walla Walla County pay a median of $1,218 a month, 31% below the Washington figure of $1,760. By the Census definition, 54% of Walla Walla County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $408,900, about 5.5 times the median household income. 65% of Walla Walla County households own their home and 35% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1973.
| Cost | Walla Walla County | Washington figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,218/mo | $1,760/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $408,900 | $564,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 65% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 54% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 30% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Walla Walla County and the counties next door
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (27 to 52 miles). Benton County leads the group on income ($89,874), Garfield County trails ($64,884), and Walla Walla County out-earns 4 of the six. The list crosses into Oregon, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walla Walla County | - | $74,202 | $1,218/mo | 65% |
| Columbia County, WA | 27 mi | $71,810 | $985/mo | 78% |
| Franklin County, WA | 28 mi | $86,714 | $1,198/mo | 71% |
| Garfield County, WA | 47 mi | $64,884 | $791/mo | 77% |
| Umatilla County, OR | 47 mi | $67,728 | $997/mo | 68% |
| Benton County, WA | 50 mi | $89,874 | $1,306/mo | 68% |
| Adams County, WA | 52 mi | $66,136 | $877/mo | 69% |
Places inside Walla Walla County
Here are the 10 most populous of the county's 10 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 86% of Walla Walla County residents live in one of the 10. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $61,914 in College Place to $118,609 in Garrett. No Walla Walla County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 10.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walla Walla | city | 33,925 | $66,748 | $1,323 | 15 mi |
| College Place | city | 9,854 | $61,914 | $1,186 | 15 mi |
| Burbank | CDP | 3,589 | $93,158 | $1,045 | 24 mi |
| Walla Walla East | CDP | 2,099 | $89,951 | n/a | 17 mi |
| Garrett | CDP | 1,697 | $118,609 | $780 | 14 mi |
| Waitsburg | city | 1,083 | $67,917 | $811 | 16 mi |
| Touchet | CDP | 558 | $89,792 | $936 | 17 mi |
| Prescott | city | 389 | $70,568 | $1,138 | 9 mi |
| Wallula | CDP | 145 | n/a | n/a | 23 mi |
| Dixie | CDP | 133 | n/a | n/a | 18 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Debt-to-income at Walla Walla County's medians
How much room does a median Walla Walla County budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Start: $6,184 gross per month ($74,202 / 12)
- 20% goes to median rent ($1,218)
- $946: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,565 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Walla Walla County residents: age, schooling, coverage
College graduates make up 30% of the adult population. The uninsured rate is 6.9%, against 6.3% for Washington.
| People and households | Walla Walla County | Washington | Median county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 38.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 29.8% | 39.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.5% | 7.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.9% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.2% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 11.5% | 19.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.2% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| Commute length | Walla Walla County |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 62.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 25.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 6.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2.6% |
| 60+ min | 3.4% |
Reading the Walla Walla County data as a borrower
Based on the Walla Walla County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Renters under pressure. When 54% pay 30% or more for rent, the smallest loan that solves the problem is the right size.
- Consolidating cards in Walla Walla County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
Checklist for Walla Walla County applicants
Before you apply, wherever you live in Walla Walla County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Walla Walla County-area credit union.
- Verify the Washington license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Washington rules that apply in Walla Walla County
Before sharing details with a lender, a Walla Walla County resident can confirm its license with the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. Problems with a lender can also go to the CFPB. More on Washington: Washington personal loans.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Washington guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Walla Walla County household make?
About $74,202 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 24% below the Washington median.
How much is rent in Walla Walla County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $1,218 a month; 54% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Walla Walla County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Walla Walla, College Place, Burbank, Walla Walla East, Garrett and 5 more.
Can Walla Walla County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Washington county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Is there a Walla Walla County office that licenses lenders?
No, licensing is statewide. In Washington it is the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions.