With 20,874 people, Ellensburg is a city in Washington. This skews young, with a median age of 25.0. 33% of homes are owner-occupied. 68% were living in the same home a year earlier. Households here earn about 44% less than in Washington as a whole. The population is up 35% since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $55,438, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 25.0
US median: 38.9
More educated
41% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 100%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Ellensburg
What changed most since 1990
Median home value (2024 dollars)$135,364 → $404,100(+199%)US over the same years: +67%
Poverty rate33.9% → 22.4%(−11.4 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Median household income (2024 dollars)$34,695 → $55,438(+60%)US over the same years: +14%
Ellensburg's population equals 44% of Kittitas County's. Its number of households without a car equals 80% of the county's. Its number of residents 65 and older equals 26% of the county's.
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)35%(427)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.4%(225)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27%(329)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.3%(40)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II2.5%(30)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,220 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Ellensburg, decade by decade
Ellensburg population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
12,361
$34,695
$135,364
29.8%
18.7
2000
15,414
$36,495
$201,657
32.0%
33.5
2010
18,174
$38,775
$311,882
41.3%
40.2
2020
18,666
$52,805
$285,799
42.8%
54.5
2024
20,874
$55,438
$404,100
41.4%
50.5
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
