Population 257,152 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Yakima County
Household size in Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.00 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 3.13 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 3.04 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 3.01 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Yakima County is a place of big households: 3.01 people per home on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. Numbers like that usually point to plenty of families with kids. Only two of Washington's 39 counties have larger households.
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 Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.4 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.2 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.2, Yakima County is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young families with children. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the northwest. Of Washington's 39 counties, only three are younger.
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 Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 19.0% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in six households in Yakima County (18.2%), well above the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only one other Washington county has a higher 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 Yakima County
Renters in Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.2% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.3% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.2% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Yakima County than nationally: 38.2% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among owners, 43.9% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Washington's 39 counties, only three have a higher share of renters.
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 Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Yakima County than nationally: 6.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Yakima County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Washington counties.
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 Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1971 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Yakima County was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Washington as a whole, where the median home dates to 1984. The median year built has moved up from 1971 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the west, the oldest in the center.
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 Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $706 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $811 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $877 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,212 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$505 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in Yakima County runs $1,212 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $505 a month since 2006–10, up 72%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 28.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Yakima County
Bachelor's degrees in Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Yakima County: 18.5% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 3.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west 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 Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 69.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 70.7% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 72.4% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 75.7% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About a quarter of adults in Yakima County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 75.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.4 points, as it has nationally. Only one other Washington county has a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Yakima County
| Period | Yakima County | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Yakima County than nationally: unemployment was 7.4%, against 5.4%. Of Washington's 39 counties, only two have higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.5 points, as it has nationally.
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).
Yakima 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima County | 3.01 | 34.2 | 18.2% | 38.2% | 6.1% | 1977 | $1,212 | 18.5% | 75.7% | 7.4% |
| Kittitas County | 2.35 | 39.1 | 6.9% | 38.5% | 15.1% | 1990 | $1,542 | 38.6% | 94.1% | 5.5% |
| 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% |
| Adams County | 3.34 | 29.5 | 13.0% | 30.7% | 8.6% | 1976 | $933 | 14.8% | 64.4% | 3.9% |
| Walla Walla County | 2.59 | 39.0 | 11.4% | 35.0% | 9.6% | 1971 | $1,268 | 29.6% | 89.6% | 6.7% |
| Lewis County | 2.63 | 42.9 | 10.7% | 24.2% | 7.5% | 1979 | $1,132 | 21.7% | 91.0% | 5.3% |
| Columbia County | 2.11 | 49.5 | 9.6% | 22.3% | 15.8% | 1956 | $1,020 | 23.9% | 89.1% | 4.2% |
| Thurston County | 2.55 | 40.8 | 9.8% | 32.3% | 5.8% | 1990 | $1,838 | 38.2% | 94.7% | 5.0% |
| Cowlitz County | 2.62 | 42.2 | 11.5% | 32.0% | 6.5% | 1977 | $1,445 | 17.8% | 89.8% | 5.7% |
| Garfield County | 2.29 | 47.4 | 2.4% | 23.1% | 15.7% | 1961 | $810 | 31.1% | 94.1% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Broome County, NY · St. Tammany Parish, LA · St. Lucie County, FL · St. Louis County, MN · DeSoto County, MS · Smith County, TX · Shelby County, AL · Sarpy County, NE · Brown County, WI · Sangamon County, IL
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 Yakima 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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