Population 80,172 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Chelan County
Household size in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.67 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.69 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.61 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
At 2.61 people per household, Chelan County sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.67, mirroring the country.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.2 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.0 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.4 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Chelan County are younger than 41.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in Washington as a whole, where the median age is 39.6. The median age has climbed from 40.2 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.4% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Chelan County (9.6%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Washington. The single-parent share has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Chelan County
Renters in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.0% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.6% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.4% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Chelan County rent their homes (35.4%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 42.2% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the center. The renter share has risen 3.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.2% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.5% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 14.2% of the housing in Chelan County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 5.0 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Chelan County was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1975 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the south.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $769 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $820 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $952 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,300 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$531 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Chelan County costs $1,300 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $531 a month since 2006–10, up 69%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Chelan County
Bachelor's degrees in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.7% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.8% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.0 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a little less common in Chelan County than nationally: 30.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 8.0 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the southeast.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.0% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.0% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 82.4% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.3% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in seven adults in Chelan County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.3% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.2 points, as it has nationally. Chelan County has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Washington counties.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Chelan County
| Period | Chelan County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.7% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.9% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in Chelan County than nationally: unemployment was 3.9%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.8 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Chelan County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelan County | 2.61 | 41.4 | 9.6% | 35.4% | 14.2% | 1981 | $1,300 | 30.8% | 86.3% | 3.9% |
| Douglas County | 2.76 | 39.5 | 14.3% | 30.7% | 10.6% | 1986 | $1,489 | 21.7% | 82.4% | 3.7% |
| Kittitas County | 2.35 | 39.1 | 6.9% | 38.5% | 15.1% | 1990 | $1,542 | 38.6% | 94.1% | 5.5% |
| Grant County | 2.85 | 35.2 | 15.8% | 33.7% | 10.1% | 1986 | $1,156 | 19.0% | 81.7% | 6.2% |
| King County | 2.53 | 38.6 | 7.8% | 44.6% | 7.0% | 1981 | $2,293 | 55.7% | 93.4% | 5.0% |
| Snohomish County | 2.71 | 39.7 | 9.1% | 31.8% | 5.8% | 1989 | $2,169 | 38.5% | 93.1% | 4.5% |
| Lincoln County | 2.41 | 45.9 | 8.6% | 19.6% | 15.7% | 1966 | $889 | 24.0% | 92.2% | 7.5% |
| Pierce County | 2.68 | 38.3 | 12.3% | 35.3% | 6.3% | 1984 | $1,975 | 30.6% | 92.4% | 5.3% |
| Kitsap County | 2.56 | 41.6 | 10.0% | 29.9% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,936 | 37.2% | 95.4% | 4.6% |
| Jefferson County | 2.05 | 58.4 | 6.3% | 21.0% | 14.5% | 1986 | $1,536 | 43.9% | 95.4% | 6.9% |
| Thurston County | 2.55 | 40.8 | 9.8% | 32.3% | 5.8% | 1990 | $1,838 | 38.2% | 94.7% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cattaraugus County, NY · Polk County, OR · Cascade County, MT · Cape Girardeau County, MO · Caldwell County, NC · Burke County, NC · Bulloch County, GA · Bullitt County, KY · Buchanan County, MO · Broomfield County, CO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Chelan County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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