Jobs, pay and daily life in Ellensburg, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Ellensburg is a city in Washington with 20,874 residents. The median household earns $55,438 a year and the median rent is $1,340 a month, which is 29.0% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Yakima, WA (97,010 jobs), about 28 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Ellensburg compares. Among the 80 largest places in Washington, Ellensburg is #73 by population, #79 for household income (#1 = highest), #79 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #12 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Kittitas County, is #30 of 39 counties for average pay ($54,172).
Ellensburg has 20,874 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Washington. It covers 9 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,406 people per square mile. The median age is 25.0, 35% younger than the state median (25.0 against 38.3).
The median gross rent is $1,340 a month (rent plus utilities), 24% below the state median ($1,340 against $1,760). Over a year that is 29.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $404,100, which is 7.3 times the median household income ($55,438); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 32.9% of households own their home, 48% below the state average (32.9% against 63.8%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Yakima, WA, metropolitan area has 97,010 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,810 a year, 6% below the national median ($47,810 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are transportation and material moving (10,950 jobs, median $43,640); office and administrative support (10,220 jobs, median $49,090); food preparation and serving related (8,140 jobs, median $37,370). The area is most specialised in farming, fishing, and forestry (23.3 times) and healthcare support (1.6 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($101,900) and educational instruction and library ($61,000). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Kittitas County was 3.7%. 67.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Kittitas County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 68.7% drive alone, 0.9% use public transit, 8.9% walk, 10.2% work from home. 11.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 35% below the state average (11.1% against 16.9%).
41.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 5% above the state share (41.4% against 39.6%). 5.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 62% below the state share (5.9% against 15.4%). The poverty rate is 22.4%, 127% above the state rate (22.4% against 9.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 67°F (19.2°C), and the coolest is Dec at 26°F (-3.1°C). About 582 mm (23 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (94 mm) and Jul the driest (8 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Yakima (28 miles, rent 17% lower); Wenatchee (32 miles, rent 7% lower); Moses Lake (61 miles, rent 9% lower); Maple Valley (74 miles, rent 72% higher). Rent differences are against Ellensburg; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Washington (1,193) →State guide: WashingtonCountry guideKittitas CountyWashington rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 1,193 federal postings open in Washington (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Washington →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 4,770 | 1.77 | $44,490 | $38,170 | $45,070 | +24% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 4,550 | 27.48 | $39,070 | $35,080 | $42,470 | +10% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,280 | 1.37 | $35,830 | $34,650 | $44,240 | +15% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,680 | 1.10 | $36,640 | $34,820 | $48,320 | +3% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 2,150 | 2.42 | $47,380 | $36,420 | $60,840 | +29% |
| Cashiers | 2,110 | 1.09 | $36,010 | $34,650 | $43,980 | +10% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 2,020 | 1.14 | $40,460 | $35,960 | $64,170 | +8% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 2,020 | 5.78 | $36,080 | $34,710 | $46,260 | -1% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,690 | 1.23 | $39,210 | $35,940 | $56,560 | +6% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,610 | 0.76 | $102,950 | $80,740 | $156,830 | +6% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,580 | 1.23 | $57,210 | $39,330 | $73,690 | -2% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 1,400 | 2.91 | $44,330 | $36,840 | $64,280 | -5% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,390 | 0.76 | $39,710 | $34,720 | $50,950 | -1% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,370 | 0.89 | $45,600 | $36,690 | $60,760 | +1% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,360 | 1.57 | $98,330 | $61,820 | $112,700 | +54% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,320 | 1.46 | $47,080 | $40,030 | $48,510 | +11% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,210 | 1.27 | $49,450 | $37,910 | $75,550 | -0% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,020 | 0.96 | $52,540 | $41,240 | $64,390 | +11% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,010 | 0.46 | $119,470 | $72,320 | $208,030 | +13% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,000 | 0.71 | $49,060 | $34,740 | $78,410 | +39% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Yakima, WA, about 28 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,810 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 31.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 22.6% |
| Retail trade | 11.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.7% |
| Public administration | 5.7% |
| Construction | 5.1% |
| Manufacturing | 4.1% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 2.9% |
| Other services | 2.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.7% |
| Information | 1.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Ellensburg lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kittitas County | 47,172 | $2,641 million | $55,991 | 16,775 | 1,424 | $54,172 | +0.0% | 3.7% | 22,251 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 2,541 | 23.7% | $31,269 | 1.67 |
| Retail trade | 1,831 | 17.1% | $36,340 | 1.09 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,414 | 13.2% | $47,659 | 0.59 |
| Construction | 1,378 | 12.9% | $73,252 | 1.56 |
| Manufacturing | 636 | 5.9% | $55,555 | 0.46 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 618 | 5.8% | $32,067 | 2.19 |
| Wholesale trade | 548 | 5.1% | $71,647 | 0.83 |
| Administrative and waste services | 458 | 4.3% | $44,997 | 0.46 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 364 | 3.4% | $41,797 | 0.72 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 222 | 2.1% | $62,594 | 0.31 |
| Information | 175 | 1.6% | $71,428 | 0.56 |
| Finance and insurance | 164 | 1.5% | $75,183 | 0.24 |
| Real estate and rental | 154 | 1.4% | $43,453 | 0.59 |
| Educational services | 139 | 1.3% | $42,542 | 0.40 |
| Utilities | 57 | 0.5% | $134,900 | 0.89 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 68.7% |
| Public transit | 0.9% |
| Walk | 8.9% |
| Work from home | 10.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,438 |
| Income per person | $31,113 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,340 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 29.0% |
| Median home value | $404,100 |
| Homeowners | 32.9% |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 95.5 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $47,810 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: No state tax on wages.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 25.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 94.5% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 41.4% |
| Born abroad | 5.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 67.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -2.9 | 27 | 89 |
| Feb | -1.1 | 30 | 56 |
| Mar | 2.4 | 36 | 62 |
| Apr | 6.1 | 43 | 40 |
| May | 11.3 | 52 | 39 |
| Jun | 14.7 | 58 | 24 |
| Jul | 19.2 | 67 | 8 |
| Aug | 19.0 | 66 | 11 |
| Sep | 14.5 | 58 | 21 |
| Oct | 7.6 | 46 | 56 |
| Nov | 1.1 | 34 | 82 |
| Dec | -3.1 | 26 | 94 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima | WA | 28 mi | 96,961 | $62,815 | $1,117 |
| Wenatchee | WA | 32 mi | 35,484 | $73,040 | $1,248 |
| Moses Lake | WA | 61 mi | 26,083 | $74,752 | $1,216 |
| Maple Valley | WA | 74 mi | 28,287 | $152,885 | $2,304 |
| Bonney Lake | WA | 77 mi | 22,090 | $136,845 | $2,256 |
| Covington | WA | 77 mi | 21,233 | $134,502 | $2,232 |
| Richland | WA | 77 mi | 62,753 | $95,813 | $1,468 |
| Issaquah | WA | 80 mi | 39,591 | $154,669 | $2,590 |
| Auburn | WA | 81 mi | 85,676 | $97,884 | $1,786 |
| Fairwood | WA | 81 mi | 17,856 | $122,134 | $2,233 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
20,874 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,340 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 29.0% of the median household income.
$55,438 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Kittitas County (latest month 2026M09)).
Washington. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.