United States › Washington › Chelan CITY
Chelan Washington · 4,494 residents (2025 est.) · 6.70 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Chelan is a city of 4,350 people in Washington. The median age is 46.4, about 7 years above the US median. Getting to work takes 14 minutes on average. The population is up 24% since 2000. 56% of homes are owner-occupied. The typical home is worth $518,000, having more than tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 46.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 102%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,522 in 2000
4,494 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
649 / sq mi
+10%since 2009
from 590 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 41.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K 3K 4K 4K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chelan Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $82,637
+62%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $28,047 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,511 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 19.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 20.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.424 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.4%
Transportation & warehousing 6.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Education & health services 0.6%
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$518,000
+102%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $140,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,368
+55%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $483 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 59.3% in 2000
43.6% rent
from 33.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.35 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.34 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 20.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 5.9 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 81.3%(2,865)
Hispanic / Latino 14.5%(509)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 71.6%(3,114)
Hispanic / Latino 22.9%(995)
from 43 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 11 more ancestry groups with data from 20.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 76.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 7.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 70.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 11.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 59.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 67.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 23.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 44.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 16.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 21.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 62.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 61.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 37.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 21.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 27.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 69.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 0%(0)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.7%(38)
Share of the 215 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Chelan Head to head
Compare Chelan to nearby cities CHELAN VS
Wenatchee
Income $73,040 −12%
Home value $433,700 −16%
Population 35,547 +691%
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CHELAN VS
East Wenatchee
Income $77,558 −6%
Home value $429,200 −17%
Population 14,414 +221%
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CHELAN VS
Quincy
Income $87,902 +6%
Home value $336,800 −35%
Population 8,510 +89%
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CHELAN VS
Ephrata
Income $69,551 −16%
Home value $252,000 −51%
Population 8,834 +97%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Chelan, Washington? Chelan, Washington has about 4,350 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chelan, Washington? The typical household in Chelan, Washington earns about $82,637 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Chelan, Washington expensive? In Chelan, Washington, the median home is worth about $518,000, and the typical rent is about $1,368 a month.
How educated are people in Chelan, Washington? About 28.3% of adults age 25 and over in Chelan, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Chelan, Washington? About 8.4% of people in Chelan, Washington live below the federal poverty line.
Has Chelan, Washington grown since 1990? Yes, Chelan, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,381 residents, a change of about 47 percent over that period.
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