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City · 20,874 residents · Kittitas County, Washington

Ellensburg , Washington

In Ellensburg, a typical home is worth $404,100 and typical rent is $1,340 a month. Compared with all of Kittitas County, typical household income is 25% lower, the typical home value is 19% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 29 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $404,100

    19% below the county

    28% below Washington

    • Ellensburg
    • Kittitas
    • Washington

  • Typical rent

    $1,340a month

    About the same as the county

    24% below Washington

    • Ellensburg
    • Kittitas
    • Washington

  • Typical household income

    $55,438a year

    25% below the county

    44% below Washington

    • Ellensburg
    • Kittitas
    • Washington

  • Households that own their home

    33%

    29 points below the county

    31 points below Washington

    • Ellensburg
    • Kittitas
    • Washington

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$452,013
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,487 a month
3.3% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Ellensburg is in Kittitas County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Kittitas County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Ellensburg apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 33% of households in Ellensburg own their home, against 61% in Kittitas County.

  2. Nearby, in Union Gap, the typical home value is $210,600: 48% less than in Ellensburg ($404,100).

  3. Ellensburg has the 7th lowest typical household income of the 194 cities in Washington with more than 5,000 people ($55,438).

  4. Nearby, in Yakima, the typical rent is $1,117: 17% less than in Ellensburg ($1,340).

  5. The typical home in Ellensburg is worth $404,100, 19% less than in Kittitas County as a whole ($497,400).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Ellensburg

What homes there are in Ellensburg, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

No kind of home is the majority in Ellensburg; the largest group, detached houses, adds up to 44%, less than in Kittitas County (70%).

Year built

By age, homes in Ellensburg look like those in Kittitas County: the typical year built is 1991.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in Ellensburg cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,655): about 70%.

With a mortgage

$1,854 a month

Kittitas County: $2,232 a month

Without a mortgage

$647 a month

Kittitas County: $731 a month

Owners with a mortgage

68%

Kittitas County: 59%

Owning costs less in Ellensburg: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,854 a month; in Kittitas County, $2,232. Without one, $647.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Ellensburg rose 73% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Kittitas County (73%).

The typical rent in Ellensburg rose 34% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Kittitas County (34%).

While home values in Ellensburg changed +73% and rent +34%, the typical household income rose 40%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureEllensburgKittitas CountyWashingtonUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.1%4.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room 4.9%3.1%3.5%3.4%
People per household 2.162.282.502.53
Drive alone 69%71%63%69%
Carpool 8%7%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate3%3%
Walk or bike 11%7%4%3%
Work from home 10%14%20%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

More households are short on space in Ellensburg: 4.9% have more than one person per room; in Kittitas County, 3.1%.

On average, a household in Ellensburg has 2.16 people, fewer than in Kittitas County (2.28).

Many here get to work on foot or by bike: 11%, more than in Kittitas County (7%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Ellensburg?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Ellensburg, worth $404,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 72% of the typical household income in Ellensburg, which is $55,438 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $141,907 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Kittitas County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Ellensburg. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $14,144 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$3,311

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$396,780
Total interest
$570,874
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $6,824 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,294 a month

  • Tight

    $1,294 to $1,663 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,663 a month

    Your payment · 72%

Compared with the typical household income in Ellensburg ($55,438 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,311
Principal & interest$2,688
Property tax$276
Home insurance$168
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$179

You need at least $14,144 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Ellensburg and Kittitas County

Ellensburg is in Kittitas County, Washington. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Ellensburg's own numbers

Typical home value
$404,100
Typical monthly rent
$1,340
Typical yearly household income
$55,438
Households that own their home
33%
Effective property tax rate
0.82%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Kittitas County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,655
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+46%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Kittitas County.

Everything about Kittitas County

Buying

Buying a home in Ellensburg

A typical home in Ellensburg is worth $404,100: 19% below the county and 28% below Washington. With the typical household income in Ellensburg ($55,438 a year), a typical home costs 7.3 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Ellensburg 7.3 years
  • Kittitas 6.7 years
  • Washington 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Kittitas County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Kittitas County rose 110% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Kittitas County.

Period County Washington U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.6% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +46% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +110% +113% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Ellensburg next to Kittitas County, Washington and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Ellensburg $404,100
  • Kittitas $497,400
  • Washington $564,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Ellensburg $1,340
  • Kittitas $1,341
  • Washington $1,760
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Ellensburg $55,438
  • Kittitas $73,804
  • Washington $98,141
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Ellensburg next to Kittitas County and Washington
Measure Ellensburg Kittitas County Washington U.S.
Typical home value $404,100 $497,400 $564,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,340 $1,341 $1,760 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $55,438 $73,804 $98,141 $80,734
Households that own their home 33% 61% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,323 $3,552 $4,556 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.82% 0.71% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 62% 58% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Kittitas County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Ellensburg

For a typical $404,100 home in Ellensburg, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Ellensburg's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,311a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $14,144
    Cash to close
    $26,267
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $179

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,237a month

    Down payment
    $20,205
    Cash to close
    $32,328
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $192

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,635a month

    Down payment
    $80,820
    Cash to close
    $92,943
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,008a month

    Down payment
    $60,615
    Cash to close
    $72,738
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Ellensburg and for Kittitas County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Ellensburg

0.82%of the home’s value each year

$3,323 a year for the typical owner in Ellensburg.

  • Ellensburg 0.82%
  • Kittitas 0.71%
  • Washington 0.81%

What Washington publishes Exemption for people 61 and older or with disabilities (Washington State Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Washington

Flood risk in Kittitas County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Kittitas County.

FEMA’s maps count no homes in the high-risk zone in Kittitas County. That does not mean it cannot flood: check your address.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Ellensburg

Typical rent in Ellensburg is $1,340 a month: about the same as the county. In Ellensburg, 62% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Kittitas County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,655 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $31.83 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Kittitas County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,152 $22.15 $46,080
1 bedroom $1,267 $24.37 $50,680
2 bedrooms $1,655 $31.83 $66,200
3 bedrooms $2,292 $44.08 $91,680
4 bedrooms $2,766 $53.19 $110,640

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Ellensburg

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Ellensburg is in ZIP code 98926.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,650: $5 less than the fair market rent for Kittitas County ($1,655).

  • 98926 $1,650$2,280

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Ellensburg when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Ellensburg

HUD lists 9 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Ellensburg. These are the largest.

  • Briarwood Commons 1001 S Chestnut St, Ellensburg 98926 176 homes, 174 low-income · 1 bd: 175 · 2 bd: 1 · In service since 1998 · For older adults, people with disabilities
  • Crestview Terrace Apartments 2000 + 2101 North Alder ST, Ellensburg 98926 168 homes, 165 low-income · 1 bd: 95 · 2 bd: 36 · 3 bd: 26 · 4 bd: 11 · In service since 2008 · For people with disabilities, families, people experiencing homelessness
  • Crestview Terrace 2101 N Alder St, Ellensburg 98926 168 homes, 163 low-income · For families (509) 925-6616
  • Kittitas Rad Affordable Housing Portfolio 107 W 11th Ave, Ellensburg 98926 110 homes, 109 low-income · Studio: 10 · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 40 · 3 bd: 34 · 4 bd: 4 · In service since 2020 · For older adults
  • Hopesource Scattered Site Project 401 E Cherry Ln, Ellensburg 98926 98 homes, 95 low-income · 1 bd: 72 · 2 bd: 23 · 3 bd: 3 · In service since 2012 · For older adults, people with disabilities

See all 11 buildings in Kittitas County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Ellensburg

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Kittitas County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A pregnant woman reads paperwork on the sofa while the grandmother plays with the girl on the floor.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Ellensburg

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Ellensburg or Kittitas County. The ones below are statewide in Washington: they work in Ellensburg the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Washington

  • Home Advantage Downpayment Assistance

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission 0% second mortgage for 3%, 4% or 5% of the first mortgage, with no monthly payments; you do not need to be a first-time buyer. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Covenant Homeownership Program

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan with no monthly payments of up to 20% of the price (maximum $150,000) plus closing costs, for first-time buyers whose family lived in Washington before 1968 and belonged to a group affected by housing discrimination, including Hispanic people. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • House Key Opportunity DPA

    Statewide in Washington

    Washington state commission loan of up to $15,000 at 1% simple interest, with no monthly payments, for the down payment and closing costs of first-time buyers with the House Key Opportunity mortgage. Offered by Washington State Housing Finance Commission.

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Ellensburg

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Ellensburg, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Oic of Washington

    815 Fruitvale Blvd, Yakima · 27 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Arabic, American Sign Language (ASL), Cambodian, Cantonese, and 18 more languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (509) 765-9206

  • Catholic Charities Housing Services

    5301 Tieton Dr, Yakima · 28 miles away · Spanish

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (509) 759-7924

  • Homesight

    4219 S Othello St Ste 130B, Seattle · 89 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Vietnamese.

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • Homebuyer education workshops
    (206) 760-4205

All counseling agencies in Washington

Help in Spanish near Ellensburg

3 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Ellensburg

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Kittitas County. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Washington Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Ellensburg, with the typical home value.

Everything about Kittitas County Housing in Washington

Neighboring counties

If Kittitas County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Ellensburg.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about Ellensburg

Short answers with the numbers for Ellensburg and all of Kittitas County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Ellensburg?

The typical home value in Ellensburg is $404,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Kittitas County it is $497,400.

How much does it cost to rent in Ellensburg?

Typical rent in Ellensburg is $1,340 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Kittitas County is $1,655.

What is the FHA loan limit in Ellensburg?

Ellensburg uses the FHA limit for all of Kittitas County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Ellensburg?

The typical homeowner in Ellensburg pays $3,323 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.82% of the home’s value; in Kittitas County, the rate is 0.71%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Ellensburg?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Kittitas County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).