Whitman County, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Whitman 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.
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A
Health Above averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Washington
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D
Income Well below averageLeast wealthy county in Washington
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B
Education Around averageAmong the top 5 best educated counties in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Whitman County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,000 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 21.6 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.12% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 27.8 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 18,716 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Whitman County grew by 12.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 47,000 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Whitman County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 44.6% of residents. That is 23.2 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 20,961 44.6% +23.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,977 17.0% -6.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,065 12.9% -6.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,612 11.9% -4.3 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 49.3% of the people living in Whitman County and men 50.7%.
- Women 49.3% Washington 49.7%
- Men 50.7% Washington 50.3%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Whitman County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Whitman County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Whitman County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,150 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.70% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Whitman County is about 44% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | Whitman County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $274,039 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,049 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 46.8% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Whitman County is about 21.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,049 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Whitman 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 112 hours, about 4.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Whitman County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 13.5 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 26.9 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 112 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,476 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.3% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,141 | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 532 | 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 Whitman County is 13 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
Whitman County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | Whitman County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.18 | 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
Whitman County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Whitman County | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.8 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.5% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.8% | 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).
Whitman County, WA Compared With Nearby Counties
Whitman County, WA is typical in size for this group, 47,000 residents against a local median of 41,044, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Whitman County, WA's median household income, at $55,150, runs 24% below the $72,889 typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $12,629 on median household income, so Whitman County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Whitman County, WA has the 4th highest median household income of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitman County, WA | 47,000 | $55,150 #4/4 | $274,039 #4/4 | 13.5 min #2/4 |
| Spokane County, WA | 548,846 | $78,612 | $305,756 | 20.5 min |
| Asotin County, WA | 22,455 | $72,889 | $307,123 | 13.2 min |
| Latah County, ID | 41,044 | $65,983 | $307,459 | 15.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Whitman County, Washington.
How big is Whitman County, Washington by population?
About 47,000 people live in Whitman County, Washington, in 18,716 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 27.8, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 9 years.
How densely populated is Whitman County, Washington?
Averaged over its land area, Whitman County, Washington has 22 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 25% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Whitman County, Washington?
The median home costs 5.0 times the median household income ($274,039 against $55,150), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,049 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Whitman County, Washington?
Unemployment in Whitman County, Washington is 6.9%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
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