Yakima County · Yakima · population 97,390
Where Yakima stands
At or near all-time high.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
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 · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 26.1 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in Yakima for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Yakima has held up across the cycle: home values at $363,768 with +3.6% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
Yakima'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 Yakima
Yakima is a city in Yakima County, Washington, with an estimated population of 97,390. The median home value in Yakima is $363,768 as of 2026-04, up 1.7% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +3.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Yakima average $1,159 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+1.4%). The composite momentum score is 63 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Yakima (Wikipedia)
Yakima is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the state's 11th most populous city. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The unincorporated suburban areas of West Valley and Terrace Heights are considered a part of greater Yakima.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Things to see in Yakima(Tourism)
- Yakima Valley Transportation Company
- Selah
Extracted from the Wikipedia article. Names linked in the source — open the city’s Wikipedia page for details.
Playbook
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.
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.
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 Yakima County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Yakima County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Neighborhoods of Yakima
6 tracked · ranked by median home valueCities like Yakima
Run the numbers for Yakima
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
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
Find rentals & listings
Open current Yakima listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Harvey Richard Steinmetz Obituary | 1941 – 2026Yakima Herald-Republic · 3h ago
- ICE arrests surge in Eastern Washington as advocates report growing fear in Yakima ValleyKGW · 1h ago
- Kamiakin Chases First 4A State Baseball Title Since 1994SWX Local Sports · 1h ago
- Hector Luis Velez (Louie) Obituary | 1959 – 2026Yakima Herald-Republic · 7h ago
- One of Them Missing From Yakima Since Feb, the Other in Grant CountyNEWStalk 870 · 15h ago
- Yakima torch run helps support Special Olympics WashingtonNonstop Local News · 3d ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Yakima area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
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 Yakima
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.