United States › Washington › Yelm CITY
Yelm Washington · 12,043 residents (2025 est.) · 5.71 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Yelm is home to 11,102 people in Washington. The population has roughly tripled since 2000, adding 7,813 people. This skews young, with a median age of 31.0. That puts it in the top 10% of US cities for household income. About 27% of adults have finished a four-year degree. There are 1,944 people per square mile.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 31.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 118%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,289 in 2000
12,043 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,944 / sq mi
+108%since 2009
from 936 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 30.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
397 3K 6K 9K 12K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Yelm Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $90,750
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,453 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,865 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 36.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 10.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.348 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing 0.5%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$455,300
+118%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $114,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,626
+43%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $625 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 55.3% in 2000
33.4% rent
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.08 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 38.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 62.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.8 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 83.3%(2,740)
Hispanic / Latino 5.4%(176)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 63.2%(7,012)
Hispanic / Latino 16.3%(1,809)
from 37 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
+ 20 more ancestry groups with data from 17.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 89.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 23.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 5.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 19.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 37.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 12.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 83.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 73.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 87.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 30.7%(1,284)
Women 15+
Never married 26.9%(1,124)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 12.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 5.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 9.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 16.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 6.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 79.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 28.1% 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) 70%(869)
Gulf War (1990s) 34.8%(432)
Share of the 1,241 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Yelm, Washington? Yelm, Washington has about 11,102 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Yelm, Washington? The typical household in Yelm, Washington earns about $90,750 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Yelm, Washington expensive? In Yelm, Washington, the median home is worth about $455,300, and the typical rent is about $1,626 a month.
How educated are people in Yelm, Washington? About 27.4% of adults age 25 and over in Yelm, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Yelm, Washington? About 6.1% of people in Yelm, Washington live below the federal poverty line.
Has Yelm, Washington grown since 1990? Yes, Yelm, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,732 residents, a change of about 710 percent over that period.
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