1st Advantage MortgageAbout 62% of Yakima County homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $70,656. 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
- Yakima County by the numbers
- How much Yakima County households make
- The Yakima County job picture
- Housing costs in Yakima County
- Regional comparison for Yakima County
- The communities that make up Yakima County
- A Yakima County household budget, worked through
- Local borrowing considerations for Yakima County
- More Yakima County figures
- Before you sign
- Licensing and complaints for Yakima County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Yakima County by the numbers
Roughly 257,152 residents live in Yakima County, Washington, 8th by population among the state's 39 counties and county equivalents. It covers 4,295 square miles of land, or about 60 people per square mile. For statistical purposes it belongs to the Yakima, WA metro area, as delineated by the Office of Management and Budget in July 2023. The Census Bureau counts 28 places in the county (14 incorporated, 14 census-designated); the largest is Yakima, with about 96,961 residents, or 38% of the county.
How much Yakima County households make
Yakima County households have a median income of $70,656 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 28th of 39 in Washington.
| Band | Yakima County | Compared with Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.1% | +6.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.6% | +10.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 26.0% | -4.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.3% | -12.2 pts |
The spread is wide: 32% of Yakima County households make $100,000 or more, and 22% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 15.5%, 6 points higher than the state's 9.9%. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
The Yakima County job picture
By the Census industry count, 22% of employed Yakima County residents work in education and health care and 14% in agriculture, forestry and mining. Agriculture, forestry and mining stands out: 14% of workers here, versus 2% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 7.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 79% drive to work alone and 8% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 5.2% of households have no vehicle.
| Top industries | Yakima County share | +/- vs Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.4% | +0.6 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 13.8% | +11.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.2% | -0.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.4% | +0.4 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.6% | -0.6 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 6.4% | -8.2 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Housing costs in Yakima County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $1,109 in Yakima County versus $1,760 statewide. 44% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $310,100, about 4.4 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 62%. Half the housing stock was built before 1977.
| Cost | Yakima County | Washington figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,109/mo | $1,760/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $310,100 | $564,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 62% | 64% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 50% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 27% | 30% | n/a |
Regional comparison for Yakima County
Six nearby counties, 41 to 77 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $60,161 in Sherman County to $93,265 in Skamania County; 4 of these neighbors top Yakima County's median. The list crosses into Oregon, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima County | - | $70,656 | $1,109/mo | 62% |
| Klickitat County, WA | 41 mi | $71,042 | $1,105/mo | 77% |
| Kittitas County, WA | 46 mi | $73,804 | $1,341/mo | 61% |
| Benton County, WA | 60 mi | $89,874 | $1,306/mo | 68% |
| Skamania County, WA | 65 mi | $93,265 | $1,068/mo | 80% |
| Sherman County, OR | 73 mi | $60,161 | $1,032/mo | 66% |
| Gilliam County, OR | 77 mi | $66,917 | $1,125/mo | 74% |
The communities that make up Yakima County
Here are the 14 most populous of the county's 28 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 75% of Yakima County residents live in one of the 28. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $41,953 in Buena to $110,375 in Tampico. Median rent ranges from $475 in White Swan to $1,814 in Summitview. None of the 28 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima | city | 96,961 | $62,815 | $1,117 | 13 mi |
| Sunnyside | city | 16,277 | $60,923 | $1,026 | 36 mi |
| Grandview | city | 11,187 | $61,106 | $1,107 | 42 mi |
| Terrace Heights | CDP | 10,041 | $83,016 | $1,196 | 18 mi |
| Toppenish | city | 8,723 | $67,854 | $985 | 21 mi |
| Selah | city | 8,437 | $74,783 | $1,539 | 16 mi |
| Union Gap | city | 6,584 | $59,651 | $1,133 | 14 mi |
| Moxee | city | 4,625 | $100,512 | $1,356 | 18 mi |
| Wapato | city | 4,538 | $52,019 | $957 | 15 mi |
| Ahtanum | CDP | 3,777 | $96,149 | $1,575 | 9 mi |
| Granger | city | 3,705 | $66,250 | $1,003 | 27 mi |
| Zillah | city | 3,140 | $75,000 | $1,093 | 23 mi |
| Gleed | CDP | 2,844 | $78,529 | $1,583 | 15 mi |
| Mabton | city | 2,536 | $56,875 | $948 | 39 mi |
A Yakima County household budget, worked through
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Yakima County's medians:
- $5,888 a month: gross income for a household at the Yakima County median
- Housing at the median rent of $1,109 uses 19%
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,011 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,423 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.
Local borrowing considerations for Yakima County
Where the Yakima County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Health costs. With 13% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Combining balances. It helps when total cost falls and the cards stay paid down (consolidation).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
More Yakima County figures
19% of Yakima County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 12.7% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Yakima County | Washington | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.3 | 38.3 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.2% | 39.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 23.2% | 7.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 12.7% | 6.3% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.2% | 7.1% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 7.3% | 19.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 9.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.3% | 5.1% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Yakima County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 36.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 43.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 12.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.7% |
| 60+ min | 4.0% |
Before you sign
Quick steps for Yakima County:
- Write down what the expense costs; a smaller loan costs less.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- A Washington license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Licensing and complaints for Yakima County
Consumer lenders serving Yakima County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Washington that is the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. The Washington guide covers state rules in more detail.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Washington guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Yakima County earn?
The median is $70,656; 32% earn $100,000 or more and 22% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
What do renters pay in Yakima County?
$1,109 a month at the median, about 19% of median household income.
I live in a small Yakima County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Yakima, Sunnyside, Grandview, Terrace Heights, Toppenish and 23 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Yakima County or elsewhere in Washington, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Yakima County check a lender's license?
With the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.