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COUNTY

Chelan County

Washington · 81,941 residents (2025 est.) · 2,921 sq mi
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Part of the Wenatchee metro area
The short version

Chelan County is a county of 80,172 people in Washington. That puts it in the top 4% of US counties for household income. Density works out to 27 people per square mile. 13,556 more people live here than in 2000. Home values have roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $490,100. Getting to work takes 20 minutes on average.

At a glance
Average income
median household income $82,381, near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
31% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 88%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Chelan County

What changed most since 1990

  • Median home value (2024 dollars)$172,325 → $490,100 (+184%)US over the same years: +67%
  • Hispanic share8.8% → 29.0% (+20.2 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
  • White share89.3% → 65.0% (−24.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts

Among the 39 counties in Washington

  • 14th in household income$82,381
  • 17th in share with a bachelor's degree31.2%
  • 13th in home value$490,100
  • 10th in diversity score61.4
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
80,172
+20%since 2000
from 66,616 in 2000
81,941 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
27 / sq mi
+20%since 2000
from 23 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
40.4
+11%since 2000
from 36.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
2,921 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
49K58K66K75K83K19902000201020202024Chelan County
202480K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.5%(4,405)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.1%(4,869)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.1%(5,712)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196%(4,840)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.6%(4,520)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.4%(9,945)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.8%(10,227)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.8%(8,639)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.8%(10,246)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.5%(10,053)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.7%(4,598)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(2,118)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$82,381
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,316 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$44,369
+130%since 2000
from $19,273 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
53.5%
+27.6 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.3%
−4.2 ptssince 2000
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.465
+8%since 2010
from 0.432 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing8.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction8.5%
US avg: 1.2%
Wholesale trade7%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Retail trade5.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical3.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services2%
US avg: 0.9%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$490,100
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $143,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,226
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $535 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
64.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2000
from 64.7% in 2000
35.4% rent
Vacancy rate
18.5%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 21.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.49 people
−7%since 2009
from 2.67 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
19.0%
−8.2 ptssince 2009
from 27.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.5%
+2.0 ptssince 2009
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
5.9
+24%since 2009
from 4.8 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
81
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic77.4%(51,590)
Black0.2%(111)
Hispanic / Latino19.3%(12,831)
Asian0.7%(441)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic65%(52,097)
Black0.4%(333)
Hispanic / Latino29%(23,247)
Asian0.8%(661)
Other4.8%(3,834)
Diversity Score
61
+22%since 2009
from 50 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
27
−16%since 2020
from 32 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican25.8%(20,701)
Spaniard0.5%(370)
Guatemalan0.4%(293)
Argentine0.3%(228)
Dominican0.3%(201)
Salvadoran0.2%(153)
Venezuelan0.1%(89)
Cuban0%(33)
Colombian0%(29)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(169)
Filipino0.2%(144)
Vietnamese0.1%(116)
Asian Indian0.1%(75)
Indonesian0.1%(66)
Korean0%(27)
Japanese0%(25)
Pakistani0%(12)
Cambodian0%(10)
Thai0%(7)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.1%(71)
Chamorro0.1%(49)
Fijian0%(8)
Ancestry
German15.5%(12,404)
English12.1%(9,675)
Irish8.3%(6,654)
American5.8%(4,614)
Norwegian4.2%(3,406)
Italian2.8%(2,221)
Scottish2.5%(2,040)
Swedish2.1%(1,664)
French1.9%(1,556)
Dutch1.8%(1,452)
Polish1.1%(897)
Welsh1.1%(882)
+ 35 more ancestry groups with data
Scotch-Irish0.7%(530)
Danish0.6%(520)
Russian0.6%(454)
British0.6%(444)
Czech0.5%(401)
Finnish0.5%(368)
Swiss0.4%(288)
Ukrainian0.3%(264)
Portuguese0.3%(240)
Arab0.2%(192)
Greek0.2%(189)
Austrian0.2%(169)
Croatian0.2%(152)
Hungarian0.2%(134)
Canadian0.2%(131)
Lithuanian0.1%(90)
Lebanese0.1%(83)
Armenian0.1%(60)
Jordanian0.1%(55)
Ethiopian0.1%(54)
Romanian0%(34)
Turkish0%(31)
Slovak0%(26)
Brazilian0%(21)
Slovene0%(19)
Belgian0%(13)
Syrian0%(11)
Latvian0%(10)
Serbian0%(9)
Iranian0%(3)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.2%
+9.3 ptssince 2000
from 21.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
86.8%
+7.7 ptssince 2000
from 79.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.2%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 7.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.2 min
+64%since 2000
from 12.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.5%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 76.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.9%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
2.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
9.6%
+3.6 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.7%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.7%
−3.8 ptssince 2011
from 7.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.6%
−2.7 ptssince 2011
from 62.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
74.1%
−1.0 ptssince 2020
from 75.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
15.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
36.9%
+5.4 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.4%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
Female
49.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 50.4% in 2009
Foreign born
14.0%
+3.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.4%
−5.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
15.7%
+3.7 ptssince 2012
from 12.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.5%
−9.9 ptssince 2013
from 20.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.7%
+17.0 ptssince 2017
from 73.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.2%
+4.2 ptssince 2020
from 92.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
87.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 87.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
74.7%
−0.3 ptssince 2016
from 75.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
23.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2016
from 23.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.9%(10,094)
Married56.9%(18,556)
Widowed3.2%(1,043)
Divorced9%(2,932)
Women 15+
Never married25.4%(8,271)
Married52.9%(17,230)
Widowed7.9%(2,564)
Divorced13.8%(4,496)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.5%
−9.9 ptssince 2013
from 20.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
48.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 49.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
15.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 17.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 20.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
24.0%
−2.9 ptssince 2020
from 26.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
61.7%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 63.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
42.7%
−2.2 ptssince 2020
from 44.9% 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)15.4%(616)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.1%(722)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era47.1%(1,877)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.8%(352)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(63)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 3,989 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

Chelan County, decade by decade

Chelan County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199052,250$58,350$172,32516.7%24.3
200066,616$67,977$261,22521.9%45.3
201072,453$70,021$353,16923.2%54.1
202079,074$74,303$378,03526.4%60.8
202480,172$82,381$490,10031.2%61.4

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.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Chelan County

Floyd County
Pop 82,153
Bartholomew County
Pop 85,729
Walton County
Pop 93,288
Monroe County
Pop 80,406
Places similar to Chelan County
Head to head

Compare Chelan County to nearby counties

CHELAN COUNTY VS
Douglas County
Income$80,363−2%
Home value$432,500−12%
Population46,473−43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHELAN COUNTY VS
Kittitas County
Income$73,804−10%
Home value$497,400+1%
Population48,803−40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHELAN COUNTY VS
Snohomish County
Income$111,246+35%
Home value$696,000+42%
Population870,656+963%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHELAN COUNTY VS
King County
Income$124,746+51%
Home value$859,900+75%
Population2,344,939+2762%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chelan County, Washington?

Chelan County, Washington has about 80,172 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chelan County, Washington?

The typical household in Chelan County, Washington earns about $82,381 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chelan County, Washington expensive?

In Chelan County, Washington, the median home is worth about $490,100, and the typical rent is about $1,226 a month.

How educated are people in Chelan County, Washington?

About 31.2% of adults age 25 and over in Chelan County, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chelan County, Washington?

About 8.3% of people in Chelan County, Washington live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chelan County, Washington grown since 1990?

Yes, Chelan County, Washington has grown since 1990. The population has added about 27,922 residents, a change of about 53 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →