Jobs, pay and daily life in Wenatchee, 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 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Wenatchee is a city in Washington with 35,484 residents. The median household earns $73,040 a year and the median rent is $1,248 a month, which is 20.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 51,220 jobs.
How Wenatchee compares. Among the 80 largest places in Washington, Wenatchee is #36 by population, #79 for remote work (#1 = most), #9 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #10 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Chelan County, is #22 of 39 counties for average pay ($57,540).
Wenatchee has 35,484 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.5% of the population of Washington. It covers 11 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,335 people per square mile. The median age is 35.9, 6% younger than the state median (35.9 against 38.3).
The median gross rent is $1,248 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% below the state median ($1,248 against $1,760). Over a year that is 20.5% 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 $433,700, which is 5.9 times the median household income ($73,040); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 53.8% of households own their home, 16% below the state average (53.8% against 63.8%).
The Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metropolitan area has 51,220 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $49,290 a year, 3% below the national median ($49,290 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (5,500 jobs, median $42,920); office and administrative support (5,200 jobs, median $49,600); sales and related (4,850 jobs, median $39,700). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.2 times) and office and administrative support (0.9 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($49,600) and food preparation and serving related ($42,920). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Chelan County was 3.1%. 63.3% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Chelan County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 75.0% drive alone, 2.8% use public transit, 2.5% walk, 6.8% work from home. 7.5% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 56% below the state average (7.5% against 16.9%).
28.8% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 27% below the state share (28.8% against 39.6%). 13.7% of residents were born outside the United States, 12% below the state share (13.7% against 15.4%). The poverty rate is 10.4%, 5% above the state rate (10.4% against 9.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 64°F (17.5°C), and the coolest is Dec at 24°F (-4.4°C). About 810 mm (32 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (125 mm) and Jul the driest (13 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: Ellensburg (32 miles, rent 7% higher); Moses Lake (54 miles, similar rent); Yakima (59 miles, rent 10% lower); Maple Valley (80 miles, rent 85% higher). Rent differences are against Wenatchee; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Washington (1,198) →State guide: WashingtonCountry guideChelan 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 1,198 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,690 | 1.33 | $36,450 | $34,650 | $45,600 | +17% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,620 | 1.26 | $37,700 | $34,850 | $49,100 | +6% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 1,610 | 18.37 | $40,680 | $38,410 | $43,190 | +14% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,330 | 1.19 | $112,280 | $89,630 | $139,350 | +15% |
| Cashiers | 1,240 | 1.22 | $36,550 | $34,850 | $43,670 | +11% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,120 | 0.79 | $47,730 | $39,360 | $48,380 | +33% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 960 | 1.28 | $49,820 | $37,570 | $93,210 | +41% |
| Packers and Packagers, Hand | 950 | 5.17 | $35,990 | $34,650 | $46,910 | -1% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 910 | 0.98 | $40,250 | $36,480 | $50,380 | +8% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 830 | 1.77 | $45,370 | $37,210 | $56,020 | +23% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 780 | 1.08 | $40,750 | $35,620 | $56,790 | +11% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 780 | 1.69 | $44,550 | $37,030 | $50,670 | +19% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 780 | 2.74 | $38,360 | $35,170 | $47,370 | +8% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 760 | 1.51 | $55,100 | $38,480 | $79,540 | +11% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 750 | 0.77 | $37,610 | $35,380 | $49,740 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 710 | 0.88 | $47,690 | $37,510 | $63,690 | +6% |
| General and Operations Managers | 650 | 0.57 | $118,520 | $67,160 | $214,180 | +12% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 530 | 0.78 | $58,070 | $47,150 | $80,900 | -1% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 520 | 0.92 | $50,700 | $41,780 | $65,510 | +7% |
| Construction Laborers | 520 | 1.44 | $49,410 | $39,470 | $89,120 | +5% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Managers | 650 | 0.57 | $118,520 | $67,160 | $214,180 | +12% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,330 | 1.19 | $112,280 | $89,630 | $139,350 | +15% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 510 | 1.11 | $100,340 | $61,420 | $102,380 | +57% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 530 | 0.78 | $58,070 | $47,150 | $80,900 | -1% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 510 | 1.14 | $55,120 | $41,660 | $77,230 | +9% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 760 | 1.51 | $55,100 | $38,480 | $79,540 | +11% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 520 | 0.92 | $50,700 | $41,780 | $65,510 | +7% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 960 | 1.28 | $49,820 | $37,570 | $93,210 | +41% |
| Construction Laborers | 520 | 1.44 | $49,410 | $39,470 | $89,120 | +5% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,120 | 0.79 | $47,730 | $39,360 | $48,380 | +33% |
| Office Clerks, General | 710 | 0.88 | $47,690 | $37,510 | $63,690 | +6% |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | 830 | 1.77 | $45,370 | $37,210 | $56,020 | +23% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 780 | 1.69 | $44,550 | $37,030 | $50,670 | +19% |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Workers | 500 | 1.58 | $43,330 | $35,650 | $58,150 | +11% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 780 | 1.08 | $40,750 | $35,620 | $56,790 | +11% |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | 1,610 | 18.37 | $40,680 | $38,410 | $43,190 | +14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 910 | 0.98 | $40,250 | $36,480 | $50,380 | +8% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 780 | 2.74 | $38,360 | $35,170 | $47,370 | +8% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,620 | 1.26 | $37,700 | $34,850 | $49,100 | +6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 750 | 0.77 | $37,610 | $35,380 | $49,740 | -7% |
These figures are for the whole Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $49,290 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.4% |
| Retail trade | 12.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 8.3% |
| Manufacturing | 6.7% |
| Construction | 6.7% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.1% |
| Public administration | 4.5% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.1% |
| Other services | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 2.1% |
| Information | 1.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Wenatchee 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chelan County | 80,172 | $7,132 million | $88,957 | 44,962 | 3,251 | $57,540 | -1.0% | 3.1% | 42,163 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,105 | 23.7% | $77,321 | 1.10 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,857 | 16.2% | $31,682 | 1.19 |
| Retail trade | 4,328 | 14.4% | $38,579 | 0.96 |
| Construction | 2,700 | 9.0% | $94,496 | 1.14 |
| Manufacturing | 2,132 | 7.1% | $56,274 | 0.58 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,954 | 6.5% | $65,258 | 1.10 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,436 | 4.8% | $47,917 | 0.54 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,048 | 3.5% | $42,069 | 0.77 |
| Professional and technical services | 973 | 3.2% | $75,598 | 0.31 |
| Real estate and rental | 948 | 3.2% | $46,180 | 1.36 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 745 | 2.5% | $23,130 | 0.99 |
| Finance and insurance | 680 | 2.3% | $88,062 | 0.37 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 457 | 1.5% | $51,090 | 0.24 |
| Information | 321 | 1.1% | $69,643 | 0.38 |
| Educational services | 269 | 0.9% | $54,995 | 0.29 |
| Management of companies | 39 | 0.1% | $60,256 | 0.05 |
| Utilities | 21 | 0.1% | $68,117 | 0.12 |
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 | 75.0% |
| Public transit | 2.8% |
| Walk | 2.5% |
| Work from home | 6.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.5% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,040 |
| Income per person | $39,053 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,248 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.5% |
| Median home value | $433,700 |
| Homeowners | 53.8% |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 103.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $49,290 |
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 | 35.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 84.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 28.8% |
| Born abroad | 13.7% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 63.3% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -4.1 | 25 | 121 |
| Feb | -2.7 | 27 | 77 |
| Mar | 0.6 | 33 | 88 |
| Apr | 3.9 | 39 | 55 |
| May | 9.6 | 49 | 50 |
| Jun | 13.2 | 56 | 34 |
| Jul | 17.5 | 64 | 13 |
| Aug | 17.2 | 63 | 17 |
| Sep | 12.8 | 55 | 32 |
| Oct | 6.1 | 43 | 81 |
| Nov | -0.1 | 32 | 117 |
| Dec | -4.4 | 24 | 125 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellensburg | WA | 32 mi | 20,874 | $55,438 | $1,340 |
| Moses Lake | WA | 54 mi | 26,083 | $74,752 | $1,216 |
| Yakima | WA | 59 mi | 96,961 | $62,815 | $1,117 |
| Maple Valley | WA | 80 mi | 28,287 | $152,885 | $2,304 |
| Sammamish | WA | 80 mi | 66,463 | $239,690 | $2,857 |
| Issaquah | WA | 81 mi | 39,591 | $154,669 | $2,590 |
| Union Hill-Novelty Hill | WA | 81 mi | 23,047 | $185,369 | $2,556 |
| Monroe | WA | 82 mi | 19,755 | $110,461 | $1,950 |
| Covington | WA | 83 mi | 21,233 | $134,502 | $2,232 |
| Cottage Lake | WA | 84 mi | 22,518 | $213,106 | $2,740 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
35,484 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,248 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.5% of the median household income.
$73,040 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.1% (BLS county, Chelan County (latest month 2026M09)).
Washington. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.