Housing data for South Cle Elum, WA
South Cle Elum, WA has an estimated 579 residents and 306 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a town in Kittitas County.
28.4% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,661 a month.
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 579 (±216)
- Housing units
- 306 (±100)
- Households that rent
- 28.4%
- Median gross rent
- $1,661
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −11.3%
What stands out in South Cle Elum
Median real estate taxes: $1,857 (±$435) in South Cle Elum, lower than in Kittitas County ($3,552).
Homes built before 1980: 60.1% (±22.3 points) in South Cle Elum, higher than in Kittitas County (36.4%).
Median gross rent: $1,661 (±$102) in South Cle Elum, higher than in Kittitas County ($1,341).
Median home value: $374,300 (±$25,149) in South Cle Elum, lower than in Kittitas County ($497,400).
Housing in South Cle Elum at a glance
- Median rent: $1,661 median gross rent a month (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Rent burden: 37.5% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 28.4% of households rent (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Income and affordability: $66,750 median household income
- Home values: $374,300 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,852 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $1,857 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 5.9% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 67.4% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 60.1% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 0.0% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 61.0% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 23.8 minutes average trip to work
- Growth: −11.3% residents since 2015–2019 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- How long people stay: 24.5% moved in since 2020 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Crowding and facilities: 0.0% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
South Cle Elum against Kittitas County, its state and the nation
| South Cle Elum | Kittitas County | Washington | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 579 (±216) | 47,172 (exact) | 7,816,116 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 306 (±100) | 24,674 (±45) | 3,306,620 (±517) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 28.4% (±14.6 points) | 38.5% (±2.2 points) | 36.2% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,661 (±$102) | $1,341 (±$52) | $1,760 (±$7) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $66,750 (±$19,427) | $73,804 (±$4,984) | $98,141 (±$414) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $374,300 (±$25,149) | $497,400 (±$18,977) | $564,600 (±$1,940) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $1,857 (±$435) | $3,552 (±$191) | $4,556 (±$16) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 60.1% (±22.3 points) | 36.4% (±2.8 points) | 43.4% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 23.8 minutes (±6.9) | 23.3 minutes (±1.6) | 26.6 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 90.8% (±8.3 points) | 90.6% (±1.7 points) | 93.6% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 47.1 years (±17.4) | 35.8 years (±0.5) | 38.3 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
South Cle Elum covers 0.4 square miles of land, about 1,440 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How South Cle Elum has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 653 (±212) | 579 (±216) | −11.3% | Not a measurable change |
| Housing units | 285 (±67) | 306 (±100) | +7.4% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,111 (±$94) | $1,661 (±$102) | +49.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $190,500 (±$23,406) | $374,300 (±$25,149) | +96.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $58,571 (±$22,505) | $66,750 (±$19,427) | +14.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,461 (±$174) | $1,852 (±$145) | +26.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,277 (±$186) | $1,857 (±$435) | +45.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 37.0% (±15.1 points) | 28.4% (±14.6 points) | −8.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% (±28.8 points) | 0.0% (±36.7 points) | 0.0 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
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.
Crime reported to police in Kittitas County
South Cle Elum has no police department of its own in the FBI’s figures, so this is the figure for Kittitas County as a whole.
In 2025, the police departments that report for Kittitas County recorded 140 violent and 1,064 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
A county-wide figure describes the whole county, not this place; crime varies from one community to the next.
ZIP codes in South Cle Elum
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98943 | 41% | 579 | $1,661 | $374,300 | $66,750 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near South Cle Elum
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cle Elum | 0.6 mi | $1,295 | $451,000 | 37.4% |
| Roslyn | 11 mi | $1,500 | $565,200 | 32.2% |
| Ellensburg | 23 mi | $1,340 | $404,100 | 67.1% |
| Kittitas | 29 mi | $1,351 | $316,700 | 28.6% |
| Leavenworth | 31 mi | $1,159 | $617,000 | 48.4% |
| Cashmere | 32 mi | $1,063 | $442,900 | 36.2% |
| Wenatchee | 34 mi | $1,248 | $433,700 | 46.2% |
| Naches | 34 mi | $1,458 | $271,700 | 45.0% |
Places in Washington most like South Cle Elum
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kittitas | $1,351 | $316,700 | $80,278 | 28.6% |
| Shelton | $1,365 | $345,700 | $69,598 | 38.0% |
| Cle Elum | $1,295 | $451,000 | $63,973 | 37.4% |
| Longview Heights | $1,346 | $456,700 | $74,570 | 25.0% |
| East Port Orchard | $1,554 | $435,900 | $75,320 | 35.3% |
| Castle Rock | $1,222 | $348,600 | $69,639 | 33.3% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Washington.
HUD Fair Market Rent for South Cle Elum, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,152 | $1,267 | $1,655 | $2,292 | $2,766 |
HUD income limits for South Cle Elum, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,550 | $37,600 | $60,150 |
| 2 people | $25,800 | $43,000 | $68,750 |
| 3 people | $29,000 | $48,350 | $77,350 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $53,700 | $85,900 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $58,000 | $92,800 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $62,300 | $99,650 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $66,600 | $106,550 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $70,900 | $113,400 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Kittitas County, WA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $107,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
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 South Cle Elum
What is the median household income in South Cle Elum?
The median household income in South Cle Elum is $66,750 (±$19,427) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in South Cle Elum, WA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $374,300 (±$25,149) for owner-occupied homes in South Cle Elum (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in South Cle Elum?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in South Cle Elum, WA is $1,852 (±$145) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
How much are property taxes in South Cle Elum?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in South Cle Elum, WA is $1,857 (±$435) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many homes are in South Cle Elum?
South Cle Elum, WA has an estimated 306 (±100) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the most common home size in South Cle Elum?
The most common size is 3 bedrooms, 48.4% of homes in South Cle Elum, WA.
Is South Cle Elum growing?
In South Cle Elum, the number of residents went from 653 in 2015–2019 to 579 in 2020–2024 (−11.3%), not a measurable change.
What ZIP codes are in South Cle Elum?
The ZIP code that covers South Cle Elum is 98943.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 98943?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 98943 is $1,661 (±$102) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Cle Elum town, Washington
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Cle Elum town, Washington
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Cle Elum town, Washington
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Cle Elum town, Washington
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Cle Elum town, Washington
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — South Cle Elum town, Washington
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — South Cle Elum town, Washington
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Kittitas County, WA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Kittitas County, WA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
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) for South Cle Elum town, Washington (place:65765, in state:53).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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.
Figures last updated on .