Yakima County, WA

County

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2021 Population

255,151

1.8% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

0.304% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

15.8%

4.38% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$58,380

6.31% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$213,200

11.4% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

107,567

0.838% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Yakima County, WA had a population of 255k people with a median age of 33 and a median household income of $58,380. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Yakima County, WA grew from 250,649 to 255,151, a 1.8% increase and its median household income grew from $54,917 to $58,380, a 6.31% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Yakima County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (41.5%), White (Hispanic) (23.7%), Other (Hispanic) (16.6%), Two+ (Hispanic) (9.5%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.8%).

None of the households in Yakima 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.

87.4% of the residents in Yakima County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Yakima County, WA are Yakima Valley College (1,096 degrees awarded in 2021), Perry Technical Institute (444 degrees), and Heritage University (277 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Yakima County, WA was $213,200, and the homeownership rate was 62%.

Most people in Yakima County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 19.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Yakima County, WA was 2 cars per household.

Yakima County, WA borders Benton County, WA, Grant County, WA, King County, WA, Kittitas County, WA, Klickitat County, WA, Lewis County, WA, Pierce County, WA, and Skamania County, WA.

United States Washington Yakima, WA

Population & Diversity

Yakima County, WA is home to a population of 255k people, from which 87.4% are citizens. As of 2021, 18.7% of Yakima County, WA residents were born outside of the country (47.7k people).

In 2021, there were 1.75 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (106k people) in Yakima County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 60.5k White (Hispanic) and 42.3k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

87.4%

2021 Citizenship

87.5%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 87.4% of Yakima County, WA residents were US citizens, which is lower than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Yakima County, WA was 87.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Yakima County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
106k ± 559
White (Hispanic)
60.5k ± 2.82k
Other (Hispanic)
42.3k ± 2.65k

50.6%

Hispanic Population

129k people

50.6% of the people in Yakima County, WA are hispanic (129k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Yakima 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
242,407 ± 11,894 people
India
95,173 ± 7,527 people
China
81,169 ± 6,957 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 242,407 Washington residents, followed by India with 95,173 and China with 81,169.

Foreign-Born Population

18.7%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

47.7k people

18.4%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

46.1k people

As of 2021, 18.7% of Yakima County, WA residents (47.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is higher than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Yakima County, WA was 18.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,950 ± 382
Gulf War (2001-)
1,479 ± 311
Gulf War (1990s)
1,365 ± 296

Yakima County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.67 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Yakima County, WA employs 108k people. The largest industries in Yakima County, WA are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (16,365 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (15,105 people), and Retail Trade (11,237 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($72,639), Public Administration ($61,057), and Management of Companies & Enterprises ($51,181).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $65,962. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.468, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

108k

2021 Value

± 2,783

0.838%

1 Year growth

± 3.54%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Yakima County, WA grew at a rate of 0.838%, from 107k employees to 108k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Yakima County, WA, are Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (13,234 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,628 people), and Material Moving Occupations (9,177 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Yakima County, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

108k

2021 Value

± 2,783

0.838%

1 Year growth

± 3.54%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Yakima County, WA grew at a rate of 0.838%, from 107k employees to 108k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Yakima County, WA, are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (16,365 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (15,105 people), and Retail Trade (11,237 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Yakima County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Yakima County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$39,125

Median earning men ± $1,259

$28,443

Median earning women ± $1,020

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($72,841), Public Administration ($72,799), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($59,444).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($51,600), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($34,561), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($33,029).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Washington. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,852
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,061
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
940
Manufacturing

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.8M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$1.62M
Manufacturing
$703k
Wholesale Trade

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Washington product (by dollars) was Misc. mfg. prods. with $42.2B, followed by Mixed freight ($36.4B) and Electronics ($33.3B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Washington products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Washington.

$416B

2020 Value in Washington

$982B

Projected 2050 Value in Washington

136% growth

In 2020, total outbound Washington trade was $416B. This is expected to increase 136% to $982B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Washington trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Most Common Trade Partners

Oregon
$34.7B
California
$26.5B
Texas
$12.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Washington domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Oregon with $34.7B, followed by California with $26.5B and Texas and $12.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Washington shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Yakima County, WA went to Donald J. Trump with 52.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (44.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.48%).

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 (52.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (44.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.48%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Yakima 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 2021, universities in Yakima County, WA awarded 2,003 degrees. The student population of Yakima County, WA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 4,442 male students and 7,864 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Yakima County, WA are Hispanic or Latino (1,026 and 51.5%), followed by White (724 and 36.4%), Unknown (72 and 3.62%), and Two or More Races (66 and 3.31%).

The largest universities in Yakima County, WA by number of degrees awarded are Yakima Valley College (1,096 and 54.7%), Perry Technical Institute (444 and 22.2%), and Heritage University (277 and 13.8%).

The most popular majors in Yakima County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (505 and 25.2%), Early Childhood Education & Teaching (137 and 6.84%), and Instrumentation Technology (85 and 4.24%).

The median tuition costs in Yakima County, WA are $18,360 for private four year colleges, and $4,343 and $4,812 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 12,306 students enrolled in Yakima County, WA, 36.1% men and 63.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 6,922 records, of which 66.9% were women and 33.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business
38 degree-majors awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
505 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
57 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Yakima County, WA was General Business with 38 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Yakima Valley College
1,096 degrees awarded
Perry Technical Institute
444 degrees awarded
Heritage University
277 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Yakima Valley College with 1,096 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 793 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Yakima County, WA, which is 0.655 times less than the 1,210 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 1,026 degrees mean that there were 1.42 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 724 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

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($18,360) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($540) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($930) 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 2021, 0.864% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.881% 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 2021 were Some college (1.41M), High School or Equivalent (1.38M), and Bachelors Degree (1.29M).

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 Yakima County, WA was $213,200 in 2021, which is 0.871 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $191,400 to $213,200, a 11.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Yakima County, WA is 62%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Yakima County, WA have an average commute time of 19.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Yakima County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Yakima County, WA is $58,380. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Yakima County, WA was Census Tract 21.01 with a value of $86,701, followed by Census Tract 8 and Census Tract 17.02, with respective values of $81,325 and $81,035.

In 2022, 20.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Yakima County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 0.774%.

Housing

Property

$213,200

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,071

$52,441

Median Property Taxes

±$1,782

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 Yakima County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

62%

Homeownership

2021

68%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 62% of the housing units in Yakima County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 62.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Yakima 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 21.01
Census Tract 8
Census Tract 17.02

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Yakima County, WA was Census Tract 21.01 with a value of $86,701, followed by Census Tract 8 and Census Tract 17.02, with respective values of $81,325 and $81,035.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Yakima 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.

$58,380

Median Household Income

± $1,842

84.6k

Number of Households

± 2,278

In 2021, the median household income of the 84.6k households in Yakima County, WA grew to $58,380 from the previous year's value of $54,917.

The following chart displays the households in Yakima 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 Yakima County, WA is from Washington.

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Washington

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2021, the income inequality in Washington was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.488% growth from 2020 to 2021, 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 2021

Drove Alone (80.7%)
Carpooled (11.7%)
Worked At Home (4.8%)

In 2021, 80.7% of workers in Yakima County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.7%) and those who worked at home (4.8%).

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

19.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Yakima County, WA have a shorter commute time (19.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 1.22% of the workforce in Yakima County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Yakima 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 Yakima County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Yakima County, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 20.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Yakima County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 0.774%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

15.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Yakima County, WA (39.6k out of 251k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Yakima County, WA is Hispanic, followed by White and Other.

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 2022, 19.1% of the children was living in poverty in Yakima County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 13.2%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 273 in Yakima County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 59.6 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

86.7% of the population of Yakima County, WA has health coverage, with 34.4% on employee plans, 32.4% on Medicaid, 10.4% on Medicare, 8.91% on non-group plans, and 0.65% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Washington was $7,913 in 2014. This is a 4% increase from the previous year ($7,609).

Primary care physicians in Yakima County, WA see 1425 patients per year on average, which represents a 3.65% decrease from the previous year (1479 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1407 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 284 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,425 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Yakima County, WA

Primary care physicians in Yakima County, WA see an average of 1,425 patients per year. This represents a 3.65% decrease from the previous year (1,479 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 31.7% under 18 years, 21% between 18 and 34 years, 33.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

13.3%

Uninsured

34.4%

Employer Coverage

32.4%

Medicaid

10.4%

Medicare

8.91%

Non-Group

0.65%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Yakima County, WA grew by 8.8% from 12.2% to 13.3%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 43.8 in Yakima County, WA.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 37.1% in Yakima County, WA.

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

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