Pullman, WA

Census place 5356625 · pop 32,229

D53/ 100
😐 Meh
C
in WA
📍 Washington ranks #24 of 50 states →
🏆 Air20 AQI · top 2%
🚽 Mental24.4% · bottom 1%
💡 Did you know?

Home of Washington State University and its Cougars.

Source ↗
Taxes
0.79% property · US 0.99%9.51% sales · US 7.00%None income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).

The breakdown — worst first

Poor mental health24.4%0

U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities

24.4% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Homeownership32.0%1

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

32.0% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Income inequality0.552

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.55 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Poverty rate30.4%3

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

30.4% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Median household income$46,8128

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$46,812 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Population growth (5yr)-4.1%11

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

-4.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Broadband access85.5%14

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

85.5% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Housing cost$424,80027

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$424,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Uninsured adults9.8%47

U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities

9.8% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.6%51

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.6% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.79%64

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.79% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Rent$1,323/mo81

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,323/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Adult smoking9.8%81

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

9.8% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Adult obesity28.3%83

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

28.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Physical inactivity17.7%88

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

17.7% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Bachelor's degree or higher61.4%91

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

61.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Commute time15 min96

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

15 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level24/10097

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

24/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Air quality (AQI)County-level20 AQI98

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

20 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Not measured for Pullman: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Pullman, WA a good place to live?
By the numbers, Pullman scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is poor mental health. Washington overall ranks #24 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Pullman, WA expensive to live in?
Pullman has a median home value of $424,800 and typical rent around $1,323/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Pullman, WA?
Its weakest measured area is poor mental health (24.4%) — 0/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Pullman, WA best at?
Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (20 AQI) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: Home of Washington State University and its Cougars.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.