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Yakima, WA

Photo: Wikipedia

Yakima, WA

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Demographics

DiverseSimpson's Diversity Index: 58
Population96,810
Foreign Born11.8%
Population Density3,447people per mi²
Median Age34.0 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

94/100

6% below national average

A

The Real Cost of Living in Yakima, Washington

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $17k$32k
Comfortable $53k$78k
Luxury $101k+$156k+
Elite (Top 5%) $119k+$184k+
Affordability Ratio

76%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean87%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
24
Poor
6
Negative
3

Groceries

6 within 10 miles

0.8mi

Gas

20 within 10 miles

0.7mi

Hospital

4 within 20 miles

0.2mi

Airport

SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International

101.8mi

Post Office

USPS — Yakima, WA

2.4mi

Critical Amenities

Country Clubs

1 private club within 10 miles.

Golf5Nearest 0.5 mi
Camping10Nearest 3 mi
Marina0 
Winery4Nearest 4.3 mi
Ice Rink1Nearest 3.4 mi
Gun Range2Nearest 2.9 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C-
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$59k+6.3%
21% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$824k
26% above US avg
College Educated
20.8%
41% below US avg
WFH
6.2%
57% below US avg
Homeownership
53.5%
18% below US avg
Median Home
$273k
3% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
C-
Elevated

Higher crime rates than 59% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
22.2
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−33.5%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−22.5%
Homicide
0.07 / 1k Residents167% above state avg
Robbery
0.52 / 1k Residents9% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
3.69 / 1k Residents104% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−44.5%
Burglary
2.25 / 1k Residents24% below state avg
Larceny-Theft
13.19 / 1k Residents2% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
2.07 / 1k Residents11% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+10Leans Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Yakima, Washington
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
B-
Self-Reliant

Viable for self-reliance. Generally workable, though some barriers may limit total independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C-
Weak10.7% of income
Property Rights
C-
FairIJ Grade C-
Firearm Rights
F
PoorFPC Grade F
Homeschooling
D-
PoorHigh regulation

Energy independence: Importer (55% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A+
Fully OpenRetail sales legal
Gambling Laws
A
Broadly OpenCasinos · Poker · Sportsbetting
Marijuana Laws
A+
Fully LegalRecreational

Homesteading

Growing Season191 days251 frost-free
Annual Rainfall13.0"
Elevation1,211 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
B-
Defensible

Workable tactical position. Some exposure to population density or targets, but generally defensible in a crisis.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
A+
Great109 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor3,447/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B-
Fair1 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding, Earthquake, Wildfire, Cold Wave, Heat Wave
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 166 mi · coast 110 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$119.8M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CitySeattle737k people are 109 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital115 miOlympia, WA
Nearest Prison2.6 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T11:17:58.000Z

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