Yakima County, Washington Income Statistics
Yakima County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Yakima County Well below averageLess wealthy than 84% of counties in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Yakima County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $70,537 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,028 | $73,370 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.6% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.5% | 19.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.3% | 18.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Yakima County is about 28% lower than in Washington. Income has been growing slower in Yakima County (5.6%/yr) than in Washington (5.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Yakima County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Washington average of 19%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Yakima County, Washington grew by 67.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $70,537 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Yakima County
| Metric | Yakima County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.544 | 0.534 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,124 | $86,137 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,376 | $68,506 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.8% | 20.5% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Yakima County, it is 0.544, higher than Washington's 0.534, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Yakima County, Washington. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $376,180 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Yakima County, Washington has narrowed from about 22% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 14% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,522 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Yakima County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.3% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 8,702 people are unemployed in Yakima County, Washington.
The average commute time in Yakima County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Washington.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Yakima County, Washington has fallen from 10.4% to 7.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.4% in 2019.
Yakima County, WA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Yakima County, WA is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 257,168 residents against a local median of 23,411. Yakima County, WA's unemployment, at 7.3%, runs 40% above the 5.2% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.3% on unemployment, so Yakima County, WA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Yakima County, WA has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima County, WA | 257,168 | $70,537 #4/6 | 5.6%/yr #3/6 | 7.3% #6/6 | 0.544 #3/6 |
| Klickitat County, WA | 23,411 | $70,563 | 4.5%/yr | 5.2% | 0.546 |
| Kittitas County, WA | 47,168 | $73,884 | 5.6%/yr | 6.3% | 0.549 |
| Sherman County, OR | 1,937 | $60,469 | 4.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.538 |
| Gilliam County, OR | 1,969 | $65,740 | 6.7%/yr | 2.8% | 0.534 |
| Benton County, WA | 212,794 | $89,893 | 4.9%/yr | 5.3% | 0.554 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Yakima County, Washington has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Washington, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Yakima County, Washington.
How Rich Is Yakima County, Washington?
Yakima County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $70,537, about 28% lower than the Washington average of $98,224.
Are incomes growing in Yakima County, Washington?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Yakima County, Washington rose 68%, from $42,082 to $70,537. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Washington as a whole: +68% against +73%.
What was the median household income in Yakima County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Yakima County, Washington was $67,440, up 5% from $64,392 in 2022. The Washington median that year was $95,216.
What was the median household income in Yakima County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Yakima County, Washington was $55,129. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $70,537.
How strong is the job market in Yakima County, Washington?
Unemployment in Yakima County, Washington is 7.3%, well above the Washington rate of 5.0%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Yakima County, Washington?
The Gini coefficient in Yakima County is 0.544. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Yakima County, Washington?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Yakima County, Washington has narrowed from about 22% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 14% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,522 since 2009.
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