Yelm, WA
Census place 5380220 · pop 11,102
Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
34 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
20.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,303/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$455,300 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
96/100 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.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
27.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
91.3% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
9.0% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
66.6% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
32.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.76% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$90,750 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
6.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
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.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
17.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+23.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
26 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.32 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
Not measured for Yelm: 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 Yelm, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Yelm scores 48/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is income inequality and its weakest is commute time. 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 Yelm, WA expensive to live in?
- Yelm has a median home value of $455,300 and typical rent around $2,303/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Yelm, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is commute time (34 min) — 6/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Yelm, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is income inequality (0.32) — 99/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.