Population 4,658 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wahkiakum County
Household size in Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.30 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.20 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.23 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Wahkiakum County is a place of small households, averaging 2.23 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Wahkiakum County has smaller households than the great majority of Washington counties.
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 Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.3 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 51.4 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 54.9 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 54.6 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Wahkiakum County skews older: half of its residents are older than 54.6, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 51.3 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next. Few Washington counties are older: only two of 39.
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 Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.1% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.8% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.1% of households in Wahkiakum County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Only one other Washington county has a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Wahkiakum County
Renters in Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 23.1% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 16.8% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −10.9 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 16.8% of households in Wahkiakum County rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Nearly two-thirds of owners (63.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Wahkiakum County has the lowest share of renters of any Washington county.
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 Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.3% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.7 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
About as many homes sit empty in Wahkiakum County as nationally: 8.3%, against 9.6%. Compared with other Washington counties, Wahkiakum County has a lower vacancy rate than most.
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 Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Wahkiakum County was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Compared with other Washington counties, Wahkiakum County has older homes than most.
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 Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $558 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $606 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $816 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $997 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$439 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wahkiakum County pays $997 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 45.2% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Wahkiakum County has lower rents than the great majority of Washington counties.
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 Wahkiakum County
Bachelor's degrees in Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.1% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 20.9% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.8 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Wahkiakum County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 20.9%, against 35.6% nationally. Wahkiakum County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Washington counties.
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 Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.2% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.8% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.9% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.6% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.4 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Wahkiakum County is above the national rate: 92.6% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across Washington.
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 Wahkiakum County
| Period | Wahkiakum County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −7.5 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Wahkiakum County has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Wahkiakum County has the lowest unemployment rate of any Washington county. 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).
Wahkiakum 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahkiakum County | 2.23 | 54.6 | 3.1% | 16.8% | 8.3% | 1981 | $997 | 20.9% | 92.6% | 2.8% |
| Clatsop County | 2.30 | 46.1 | 9.4% | 36.8% | 17.2% | 1973 | $1,237 | 27.9% | 92.4% | 4.2% |
| Cowlitz County | 2.62 | 42.2 | 11.5% | 32.0% | 6.5% | 1977 | $1,445 | 17.8% | 89.8% | 5.7% |
| Pacific County | 2.18 | 52.8 | 9.7% | 18.2% | 28.9% | 1973 | $1,160 | 24.8% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| Columbia County | 2.56 | 43.5 | 12.2% | 23.9% | 6.3% | 1982 | $1,433 | 20.0% | 89.8% | 4.0% |
| Lewis County | 2.63 | 42.9 | 10.7% | 24.2% | 7.5% | 1979 | $1,132 | 21.7% | 91.0% | 5.3% |
| Klickitat County | 2.36 | 47.0 | 8.1% | 23.3% | 9.5% | 1984 | $1,191 | 31.0% | 89.4% | 5.8% |
| Yakima County | 3.01 | 34.2 | 18.2% | 38.2% | 6.1% | 1977 | $1,212 | 18.5% | 75.7% | 7.4% |
| Morrow County | 2.92 | 37.2 | 13.0% | 28.4% | 10.1% | 1982 | $1,064 | 9.9% | 74.9% | 2.3% |
| Benton County | 2.79 | 37.2 | 12.6% | 32.4% | 7.2% | 1986 | $1,478 | 33.2% | 89.0% | 5.2% |
| Franklin County | 3.30 | 32.1 | 18.2% | 29.0% | 5.6% | 1991 | $1,562 | 21.7% | 77.4% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Sabine County, TX · Roger Mills County, OK · Rolette County, ND · Rooks County, KS · Roosevelt County, MT · Rosebud County, MT · Runnels County, TX · Rush County, KS · Rusk County, WI · Russell County, KS
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 Wahkiakum 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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