City safety & data profile

EllensburgWA

Ellensburg, WA is a 19K-resident city in Kittitas County with a median household income of $55,438.

Kittitas County, Washington. Federal health, economic, and safety indicators for Ellensburg, drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, and CMS Hospital Compare. Ellensburg has a population larger than 41% of the 4,640 U.S. cities Areazine tracks, a median home value of $404,100, and 1 hospital serving the surrounding area.

Data updated 2026-07-26

19K
Population
Top 59%
By size
$55,438
Median income
$404,100
Median home
22.4%
Poverty rate

The read on Ellensburg

Ellensburg posts a median household income higher than 15% of U.S. cities Areazine tracks, where 1 hospital serves the Ellensburg area.

Top 85%
by median income, US cities
1
hospital in & near Ellensburg

Where Ellensburg income ranks nationally

Median household income vs. every place Areazine profiles (place-level ACS)

$55,438 Bottom 15% higher than 15% of 3,889 places Areazine profiles

$0–$20,000: 0 places Areazine profiles (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 71 places Areazine profiles (2%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 788 places Areazine profiles (20%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 1,055 places Areazine profiles (27%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 768 places Areazine profiles (20%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 515 places Areazine profiles (13%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 308 places Areazine profiles (8%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 171 places Areazine profiles (4%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 92 places Areazine profiles (2%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 47 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. $220,000–$240,000: 18 places Areazine profiles (0%). Above this entry. $240,000–$260,000: 28 places Areazine profiles (1%). Above this entry. WA $0 $260,000 every profiled place, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more places Areazine profiles. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (place-level) · 2024 ACS 5-year

The quick read

Reading Ellensburg, WA beyond the headline numbers

Ellensburg sits inside Kittitas County, Washington, at roughly 47.00°N, -120.55°W. Population 19,001, $55,438 median household income. Median home value $404,100, median rent $1,340. Poverty rate 22.4%, read against that income figure since two cities on the same median can differ underneath it.

CDC PLACES: Ellensburg's highest-prevalence health measure is obesity at 33.6%, then short sleep duration at 30.8%. 1 hospital in/around Ellensburg, 0 with an ER.

Sources: U.S. Census ACS, CDC PLACES, CMS Hospital Compare, plus live alerts for Ellensburg from FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC. Comparison bars benchmark each metric against the national reference.

Population
19,001
Ellensburg
Median Income
$55,438
-18% vs avg
Median Home Value
$404,100
+77% vs avg
Median Age
25
years

10-Year Trends 2013–2024

County-level trend (Kittitas County) - Ellensburg's own historical series isn't separately published by the Census Bureau, so these year-over-year figures track the surrounding county, not the city alone.

20132024
Population
47K+14%
Median Income
$73,804+72%
Median Home Value
$497,400+103%
Poverty Rate
14.4%-36%
Unemployment
6.3%-38%

Economics

Economics indicators for Ellensburg, WA
IndicatorValue
Median Rent
$1,340/mo
Poverty Rate
22.4% +58% vs avg
Unemployment 8.9%
Bachelor's Degree+ 41.4%
Work From Home 10.2%
Public Transit 0.9%

Population

White 78.7%
African American 2.2%
Asian 2.6%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.7%

Health Profile 15 measures

Health Indicators

Obesity
33.6%
Short Sleep Duration
30.8%
High Blood Pressure
24.4%
Frequent Mental Distress
20.8%
Binge Drinking
19.5%
Physical Inactivity
19%
Frequent Physical Distress
12.6%
Current Asthma
11.7%
Current Smoking
10.5%
Lack of Health Insurance
9.2%

Preventive Care

Dental Visit 61.7%
Annual Checkup 65.7%

Other Measures

Diabetes
7.5%
Coronary Heart Disease
4.6%
Stroke
2.5%

Frequently Asked Questions 6

What is the population of Ellensburg, WA?
Ellensburg, WA has a population of 19,001 people, located in Kittitas County, Washington.
What is the median household income in Ellensburg?
The median household income in Ellensburg, WA is $55,438 per year, per the U.S. Census ACS. The poverty rate is 22.4%.
What is the median home value in Ellensburg?
The median home value in Ellensburg, WA is $404,100. Median rent is $1,340/month.
What are the top health concerns in Ellensburg?
The top health indicators in Ellensburg include Obesity (33.6%), Short Sleep Duration (30.8%), High Blood Pressure (24.4%). Data from CDC PLACES.
How many hospitals are in Ellensburg?
Ellensburg has 1 hospital. 0 have emergency departments.
What is the median age in Ellensburg?
The median age in Ellensburg, WA is 25 years. 41.4% of residents have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Safety Context

Ellensburg, WA is located in Kittitas County, Washington. With a population of 19K and a $55,438 median household income, the community faces health challenges including obesity and short sleep duration. Residents have access to 1 hospital. Safety alerts for the Ellensburg area are monitored from federal and state agencies including FEMA, NOAA, FDA, and CPSC.

Safety Guides

Primary source data

Nearby Cities 8

Using Ellensburg's profile

Use this as a starting research checklist, not a verdict on whether to live here.

  • Check live recalls, weather and hazard alerts scoped to the Ellensburg area before relying on national headlines. Check your area
  • Read the poverty rate alongside the income figure, two places with the same median can have very different realities.
  • Compare Ellensburg against Washington peers on any ranking lens. Explore Washington

Population and economics (income, home value, poverty, education) are place-level U.S. Census ACS; health is CDC PLACES; hospital counts reflect facilities in and around the city.

Data Sources

All data on this page comes from official U.S. government sources. Population and economic data from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates, place geography). Health data from the CDC PLACES program (2023). Hospital ratings from CMS Hospital Compare (2024). Climate data from NOAA. Education data from NCES. Cost of living from Bureau of Economic Analysis. Crime statistics, where referenced on Areazine, originate from the FBI Crime Data Explorer. Housing market figures referenced on Areazine come from HUD Fair Market Rents. Census economics and population are at place geography; some health and hospital indicators are reported at the county level (Kittitas County) where that is the smallest published unit.

Every figure on Areazine is published directly from official U.S. government sources, no number is typed in by an editor. City demographic and health figures are compiled directly from U.S. Census, CDC, and CMS releases, updated quarterly within 30 days of upstream release. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026.