Walla Walla, WA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Washington·Walla Walla

Walla Walla County · Walla Walla · population 33,901

Walla Walla, WA
Image: Wikipedia · Walla Walla, Washington
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
View watchlist →
65
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Walla Walla stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $418,572
1-year +1.6%
5-yr CAGR +5.1%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.1%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$419k$191k$272k$354k$435k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
89/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,484/mo$1,180$1,377$1,573202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent112118100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 23.5
Lean rent

At a 23.5 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Walla Walla. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
58 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
66 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
43 · w16%
Rent YoY
61 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
77 · w10%
Long thesis

Walla Walla has held up across the cycle: home values at $418,572 with +5.1% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Walla Walla's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Walla Walla

Walla Walla is a city in Walla Walla County, Washington, with an estimated population of 33,901. The median home value in Walla Walla is $418,572 as of 2026-04, up 1.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Walla Walla average $1,484 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+2.3%). The composite momentum score is 65 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +5.1% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Walla Walla (Wikipedia)

Walla Walla is a city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. It had a population of 34,060 at the 2020 census, estimated to have decreased to 33,339 as of 2023. The combined population of the city and its two suburbs, the town of College Place and unincorporated Walla Walla East, is about 45,500.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Walla Walla County right now.

NWS active alerts (WA)Washington Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Walla Walla County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Walla Walla

Mount Vernon, WA68 · RisingPort Angeles, WA67 · RisingEast Wenatchee, WA65 · RisingSunnyside, WA68 · Rising

Run the numbers for Walla Walla

ToolCan I afford Walla Walla?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Walla Walla rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Walla Walla to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolWalla Walla cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
45° / 35°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
77° / 56°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
152
~42% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
10″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
High
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Walla Walla listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Walla Walla area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
75%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$90,400
Washington state median
Top industries (state-level)
Tech (Amazon/MS)Aerospace (Boeing)Agriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Walla Walla

Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.

See all Washington cities →    Browse best-of lists →