Kittitas County, WA

County

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2023 Population

44,736

0.702% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2023 Median Age

37.9

4.12% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

14.3%

1.2% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$69,928

4.68% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$459,900

10.1% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

21,906

0.828% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Kittitas County, WA had a population of 44.7k people with a median age of 37.9 and a median household income of $69,928. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Kittitas County, WA grew from 44,424 to 44,736, a 0.702% increase and its median household income grew from $66,800 to $69,928, a 4.68% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Kittitas County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (79.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (5.68%), Other (Hispanic) (4.19%), Two+ (Hispanic) (3.34%), and White (Hispanic) (2.58%).

None of the households in Kittitas County, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98% of the residents in Kittitas County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kittitas County, WA are Central Washington University (2,968 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Kittitas County, WA was $459,900, and the homeownership rate was 62.3%.

Most people in Kittitas County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24 minutes. The average car ownership in Kittitas County, WA was 2 cars per household.

Kittitas County, WA borders Chelan County, WA, Douglas County, WA, Grant County, WA, King County, WA, and Yakima County, WA.

About the photo: Lake Easton

Photo by Scott Smithson

United States Washington Ellensburg, WA

Population & Diversity

Kittitas County, WA is home to a population of 44.7k people, from which 98% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.88% of Kittitas County, WA residents were born outside of the country (1.74k people).

In 2023, there were 14.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (35.7k people) in Kittitas County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.54k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 1.88k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98%

2023 Citizenship

98.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98% of Kittitas County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Kittitas County, WA was 98.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Kittitas County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Kittitas County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
35.7k ± 462
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
2.54k ± 470
Other (Hispanic)
1.88k ± 284

10.3%

Hispanic Population

4.63k people

10.3% of the people in Kittitas County, WA are hispanic (4.63k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Kittitas County, WA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
244,390 ± 11,943 people
India
101,527 ± 7,771 people
China
86,360 ± 7,174 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 244,390 Washington residents, followed by India with 101,527 and China with 86,360.

Foreign-Born Population

3.88%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.74k people

3.3%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.47k people

As of 2023, 3.88% of Kittitas County, WA residents (1.74k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kittitas County, WA was 3.3%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Kittitas County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
809 ± 167
Gulf War (2001-)
603 ± 191
Gulf War (1990s)
476 ± 155

Kittitas County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.34 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Kittitas County, WA employs 21.9k people. The largest industries in Kittitas County, WA are Accommodation & Food Services (2,844 people), Educational Services (2,682 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,435 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($110,117), Utilities ($92,328), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($83,897).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $73,054. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

21.9k

2023 Value

± 1,094

−0.828%

1 Year decline

± 7.16%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Kittitas County, WA declined at a rate of −0.828%, from 22.1k employees to 21.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kittitas County, WA, are Management Occupations (2,865 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,379 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (2,181 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Kittitas County, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

21.9k

2023 Value

± 1,094

−0.828%

1 Year decline

± 7.16%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Kittitas County, WA declined at a rate of −0.828%, from 22.1k employees to 21.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kittitas County, WA, are Accommodation & Food Services (2,844 people), Educational Services (2,682 people), and Health Care & Social Assistance (2,435 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Kittitas County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Kittitas County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$54,242

Median earning men ± $5,326

$40,146

Median earning women ± $2,604

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($93,750), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($87,273), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($74,653).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,270), Construction ($58,750), and Information ($51,058).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Y-Axis

3.62%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.58M people employed in Washington. This represents a 3.62% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

205
Construction
88
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
81
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$97.2k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$92.8k
Construction
$73.1k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kittitas County, WA went to Donald J. Trump with 53.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.3%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.05%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (53.5%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (43.3%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.05%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kittitas County, WA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Kittitas County, WA awarded 2,968 degrees. The student population of Kittitas County, WA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 4,335 male students and 4,922 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kittitas County, WA are White (1,450 and 50.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (472 and 16.4%), Unknown (406 and 14.1%), and Two or More Races (226 and 7.84%).

The largest universities in Kittitas County, WA by number of degrees awarded are Central Washington University (2,968 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Kittitas County, WA are Elementary Education & Teaching (238 and 8.02%), General Psychology (181 and 6.1%), and Criminal Justice - Safety Studies (144 and 4.85%).

The median tuition cost in Kittitas County, WA for a public four year colleges is $6,816 for in-state students and $23,881 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Kittitas County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 93.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 23.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 9,257 (46.8% men and 53.2% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 9,257 students enrolled in Kittitas County, WA, 46.8% men and 53.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,913 records, of which 52.5% were women and 47.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Elementary Education & Teaching
238 degrees awarded
General Psychology
181 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Safety Studies
128 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Kittitas County, WA was Elementary Education & Teaching with 238 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Kittitas County, WA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Central Washington University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

2,968 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Central Washington University with 2,968 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,277 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kittitas County, WA, which is 0.755 times less than the 1,691 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,450 degrees mean that there were 3.07 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 472 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($6,816) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,029) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($900) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Measure

In 2022, 0.975% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.954% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.41M), Some college (1.4M), and Bachelors Degree (1.33M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Kittitas County, WA was $459,900 in 2023, which is 1.52 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $417,600 to $459,900, a 10.1% increase. The homeownership rate in Kittitas County, WA is 62.3%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Kittitas County, WA have an average commute time of 24 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Kittitas County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Kittitas County, WA is $69,928. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Kittitas County, WA was Census Tract 9757 with a value of $101,061, followed by Census Tract 9753 and Census Tract 9755, with respective values of $91,477 and $72,564.

In 2023, 21.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kittitas County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.47%.

Housing

Property

$459,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$16,429

$12,221

Median Property Taxes

±$725

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Kittitas County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Kittitas County, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

62.3%

Homeownership

2023

64.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 62.3% of the housing units in Kittitas County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Kittitas County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9757
Census Tract 9753
Census Tract 9755

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Kittitas County, WA was Census Tract 9757 with a value of $101,061, followed by Census Tract 9753 and Census Tract 9755, with respective values of $91,477 and $72,564.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Kittitas County, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$69,928

Median Household Income

± $3,828

19.6k

Number of Households

± 1,018

In 2023, the median household income of the 19.6k households in Kittitas County, WA grew to $69,928 from the previous year's value of $66,800.

The following chart displays the households in Kittitas County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Kittitas County, WA is from Washington.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in Washington

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2022, the income inequality in Washington was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.285% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (72.1%)
Worked At Home (13.2%)
Carpooled (6.17%)

In 2023, 72.1% of workers in Kittitas County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.2%) and those who carpooled to work (6.17%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

24 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kittitas County, WA have a shorter commute time (24 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 6.47% of the workforce in Kittitas County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Kittitas County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Kittitas County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Kittitas County, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 21.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Kittitas County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.47%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

14.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kittitas County, WA (6.13k out of 42.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Kittitas County, WA is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 13.2% of the children was living in poverty in Kittitas County, WA. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 7.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.6% of the population of Kittitas County, WA has health coverage, with 50% on employee plans, 13.4% on Medicaid, 13.9% on Medicare, 15.7% on non-group plans, and 1.65% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Kittitas County, WA see 1697 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.876% decrease from the previous year (1712 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1820 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 500 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,697 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kittitas County, WA

Primary care physicians in Kittitas County, WA see an average of 1,697 patients per year. This represents a 0.876% decrease from the previous year (1,712 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kittitas County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.9% under 18 years, 27.2% between 18 and 34 years, 35.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.4% were men and 50.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.38%

Uninsured

50%

Employer Coverage

13.4%

Medicaid

13.9%

Medicare

15.7%

Non-Group

1.65%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kittitas County, WA grew by 0.606% from 5.34% to 5.38%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Kittitas County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 58.8 in Kittitas County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kittitas County, WA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 29.4% in Kittitas County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Kittitas County, WA.