Kittitas County, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Kittitas County, WA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
A
Health Above averageAmong the top 5 healthiest counties in Washington
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C
Income Below average
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C
Education Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Kittitas County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,168 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 20.2 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 1.28% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.4 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 19,992 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Kittitas County grew by 22.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 47,168 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Kittitas County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 31.3% of residents. That is 9.9 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 14,776 31.3% +9.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 8,215 17.4% -5.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 8,525 18.1% -1.4 pts
- Boomers 61–79 8,265 17.5% +1.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Washington, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.8% of the people living in Kittitas County and men 50.2%.
- Women 49.8% Washington 49.7%
- Men 50.2% Washington 50.3%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Kittitas County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Kittitas County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Kittitas County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,884 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.64% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Kittitas County is about 25% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | Kittitas County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $337,500 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,340 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.5% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Kittitas County is about 21.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,340 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Kittitas County spend about 27 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 114 hours, about 4.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Kittitas County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.6 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 27.3 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 114 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,525 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 13.8% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,110 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 728 | 1,525 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Washington:
Walla Walla County (12.2 min), San Juan County (12.3 min), Asotin County (13.2 min).
Slowest:
Mason County (32.0 min), Garfield County (28.4 min), Snohomish County (28.3 min).
The average commute time in Kittitas County is 14 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Washington.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Kittitas County has a education index of C, which means it is somewhat educated.
| Metric | Kittitas County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.4), San Juan County (0.4), Jefferson County (0.4).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.2), Yakima County (0.2), Grant County (0.2).
Health
Kittitas County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Kittitas County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.7 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.9% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 15.9% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Washington:
King County (0.8), Whitman County (0.8), San Juan County (0.8).
Lowest:
Adams County (0.8), Okanogan County (0.8), Pacific County (0.8).
Kittitas County, WA Compared With Nearby Counties
Kittitas County, WA is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 47,168 residents against a local median of 101,798. The measure that sets Kittitas County, WA apart most is median home price: $337,500, 25% below the local median of $450,000.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 13.6 min against a local median of 16.8 min, 19% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 19% below the local median it puts Kittitas County, WA at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $594,687 on median home price, so Kittitas County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kittitas County, WA has the 5th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kittitas County, WA | 47,168 | $73,884 #4/6 | $337,500 #5/6 | 13.6 min #1/6 |
| Yakima County, WA | 257,168 | $70,537 | $355,541 | 17.6 min |
| Chelan County, WA | 80,140 | $81,888 | $480,590 | 16.3 min |
| Douglas County, WA | 44,366 | $82,191 | $450,000 | 16.8 min |
| King County, WA | 2,275,758 | $124,760 | $833,657 | 25.4 min |
| Grant County, WA | 101,798 | $73,032 | $238,970 | 16.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Kittitas County, Washington.
What is the population of Kittitas County, Washington?
About 47,168 people live in Kittitas County, Washington, in 19,992 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 36.4, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Kittitas County, Washington urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Kittitas County, Washington has 20 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 23% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Kittitas County, Washington?
The median home costs 4.6 times the median household income ($337,500 against $73,884), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,340 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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