What percentage of people rent in Ellensburg, WA?

Name: Renters and owners in Ellensburg, WA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

67.1% (±3.9 points) of the occupied homes in Ellensburg, WA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 6,024 renting households against 2,948 that own their home.

In Ellensburg, the share of households that rent went from 65.6% in 2015–2019 to 67.1% in 2020–2024 (+1.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 67.1% (±3.9 points)
Renting households: 6,024 (±515)
Median renter income: $39,074 (±$3,453)

Who rents and who owns in Ellensburg

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Ellensburg	Kittitas County	Washington	United States
Renter-occupied share	67.1% (±3.9 points)	38.5% (±2.2 points)	36.2% (±0.3 points)	34.8%
Renting households	6,024 (±515)	7,699 (±532)	1,110,043 (±7,257)	45,017,354
Owning households	2,948 (±334)	12,294 (±438)	1,954,777 (±10,007)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.1 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.1)	2.2 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.4 (±0.2)	2.4 (±0.1)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$39,074 (±$3,453)	$42,055 (±$5,922)	$66,868 (±$600)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$101,573 (±$10,306)	$103,429 (±$6,618)	$119,764 (±$583)	$100,009

In Ellensburg, the renter share is higher than in Kittitas County (38.5%).

It is also higher than in Washington (36.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Kittitas County, Ellensburg ranks 1 of 5 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 11 of 472.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Ellensburg has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	65.6% (±2.9 points)	67.1% (±3.9 points)	+1.5 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,004 (±$55)	$1,340 (±$57)	+33.5%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$39,645 (±$3,152)	$55,438 (±$11,347)	+39.8%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Ellensburg

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Ellensburg
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Ellensburg	—	67.1% (±3.9 points)	—
Kittitas	6.3 mi	28.6% (±12.6 points)	Lower
Naches	20 mi	45.0% (±11.3 points)	Lower
Tieton	23 mi	27.6% (±12.3 points)	Lower
South Cle Elum	23 mi	28.4% (±14.6 points)	Lower
Cle Elum	23 mi	37.4% (±11.3 points)	Lower
Gleed	24 mi	13.5% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Selah	24 mi	40.6% (±9.0 points)	Lower
Terrace Heights	28 mi	37.9% (±7.2 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Kittitas, WA (28.6%), Naches, WA (45.0%), Tieton, WA (27.6%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Kittitas County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Ellensburg	67.1% (±3.9 points)
2	Cle Elum	37.4% (±11.3 points)
3	Roslyn	32.2% (±12.5 points)
4	Kittitas	28.6% (±12.6 points)
5	South Cle Elum	28.4% (±14.6 points)

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Ellensburg

How many renters are there in Ellensburg?

Ellensburg has an estimated 6,024 (±515) renting households, 67.1% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Ellensburg?

In Ellensburg, the share of households that rent went from 65.6% in 2015–2019 to 67.1% in 2020–2024 (+1.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Ellensburg?

A renting household in Ellensburg has 2.1 people on average, against 2.4 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Ellensburg?

The median renting household in Ellensburg, WA has an income of $39,074 (±$3,453) a year, against $101,573 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Ellensburg city, Washington (place:21240, in state:53).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.