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City · 11,102 residents · Thurston County, Washington

Yelm , Washington

In Yelm, a typical home is worth $455,300 and typical rent is $1,626 a month. Compared with all of Thurston County, typical rent is 6% lower and typical household income is 6% lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $455,300

    5% below the county

    19% below Washington

    • Yelm
    • Thurston
    • Washington

  • Typical rent

    $1,626a month

    6% below the county

    8% below Washington

    • Yelm
    • Thurston
    • Washington

  • Typical household income

    $90,750a year

    6% below the county

    8% below Washington

    • Yelm
    • Thurston
    • Washington

  • Households that own their home

    67%

    1 points below the county

    3 points above Washington

    • Yelm
    • Thurston
    • Washington

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$479,819
about the same as 12 months ago
Typical rent
$2,364 a month
9.2% more than 12 months ago

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

Yelm is in Thurston County. The FHA loan limit ($586,500 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Thurston County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

The homes here

Housing in Yelm

What homes there are in Yelm, 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

The detached house rules in Yelm: 75% of homes, more than in Thurston County (67%).

Year built

The typical home in Yelm was built in 2004, 13 years after the typical one in Thurston County.

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

With a mortgage

$2,504 a month

Thurston County: $2,288 a month

Without a mortgage

$748 a month

Thurston County: $753 a month

Owners with a mortgage

82%

Thurston County: 67%

Owning costs more in Yelm: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,504 a month; in Thurston County, $2,288. Without one, $748.

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

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Yelm rose 78%; in Thurston County, it rose 67%.

Rent in Yelm moved so little since 2015–2019 that the Census cannot say whether it rose or fell.

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

MeasureYelmThurston CountyWashingtonUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate4.0%4.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.0%0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.9%3.5%3.4%
People per household 2.982.482.502.53
Drive alone 72%67%63%69%
Carpool 13%8%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%3%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%4%3%
Work from home 9%21%20%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 30 to 39 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Households in Yelm are bigger: 2.98 people on average; in Thurston County, 2.48.

More people carpool to work in Yelm than in Thurston County: 13% against 8%.

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 Yelm?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Yelm, worth $455,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 49% of the typical household income in Yelm, which is $90,750 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $158,912 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Yelm. 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 $15,936 (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

$3,708

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$447,053
Total interest
$643,204
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $7,689 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,118 a month

  • Tight

    $2,118 to $2,723 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,723 a month

    Your payment · 49%

Compared with the typical household income in Yelm ($90,750 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$3,708
Principal & interest$3,028
Property tax$288
Home insurance$190
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$201

You need at least $15,936 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

Yelm and Thurston County

Yelm is in Thurston 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).

Yelm's own numbers

Typical home value
$455,300
Typical monthly rent
$1,626
Typical yearly household income
$90,750
Households that own their home
67%
Effective property tax rate
0.76%

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

Numbers for all of Thurston County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$586,500
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,946
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+48%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.2%

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 Thurston County.

Everything about Thurston County

Buying

Buying a home in Yelm

A typical home in Yelm is worth $455,300: 5% below the county and 19% below Washington. With the typical household income in Yelm ($90,750 a year), a typical home costs 5.0 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.

  • Yelm 5.0 years
  • Thurston 5.0 years
  • Washington 5.8 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Thurston County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Thurston County rose 121% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Washington U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.3% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +48% +44% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +121% +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

Yelm next to Thurston 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
  • Yelm $455,300
  • Thurston $480,300
  • Washington $564,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Yelm $1,626
  • Thurston $1,736
  • Washington $1,760
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Yelm $90,750
  • Thurston $96,563
  • Washington $98,141
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Yelm next to Thurston County and Washington
Measure Yelm Thurston County Washington U.S.
Typical home value $455,300 $480,300 $564,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,626 $1,736 $1,760 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $90,750 $96,563 $98,141 $80,734
Households that own their home 67% 68% 64% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,474 $4,209 $4,556 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.76% 0.88% 0.81% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 47% 55% 50% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Thurston 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 Yelm

For a typical $455,300 home in Yelm, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Yelm's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $3,708a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $15,936
    Cash to close
    $29,595
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $201

  • Conventional, 5% down $3,624a month

    Down payment
    $22,765
    Cash to close
    $36,424
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $216

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,946a month

    Down payment
    $91,060
    Cash to close
    $104,719
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $3,366a month

    Down payment
    $68,295
    Cash to close
    $81,954
    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 Yelm and for Thurston County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Yelm

0.76%of the home’s value each year

$3,474 a year for the typical owner in Yelm.

  • Yelm 0.76%
  • Thurston 0.88%
  • 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 Thurston County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.2%
948
Of those, with NFIP insurance
43%
County Washington U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.2% 1.6% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 43% 40% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Yelm

Typical rent in Yelm is $1,626 a month: 6% below the county. In Yelm, 47% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Thurston County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,946 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $37.42 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Thurston 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 $1,586 $30.50 $63,440
1 bedroom $1,656 $31.85 $66,240
2 bedrooms $1,946 $37.42 $77,840
3 bedrooms $2,541 $48.87 $101,640
4 bedrooms $3,141 $60.40 $125,640

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 Yelm

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Yelm has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,770 in 98576 to $1,850 in 98597.

None is above the fair market rent for Thurston County ($1,946).

  • 98576 $1,770$2,360
  • 98597 $1,850$2,420

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Yelm 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 Yelm

HUD lists 4 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Yelm. These are the largest.

  • Cac 515 Preservation Portfolio 405 Killion Ct NW, Yelm 98597 109 homes, 106 low-income · 1 bd: 99 · 2 bd: 10 · In service since 2016
  • Salmon Run Apartments 10720 Vancil Rd SE, Yelm 98597 40 homes, 39 low-income · 1 bd: 6 · 2 bd: 14 · 3 bd: 18 · 4 bd: 1 · In service since 2012 · For people with disabilities, families
  • Orchard Apartments 500 McKenzie Ave SW, Yelm 98597 32 low-income homes · For families (360) 458-2048
  • Prairie Run Apartments 205 Mountain View Rd SE, Yelm 98597 32 homes, 31 low-income · 2 bd: 24 · 3 bd: 8 · In service since 2002 · For people with disabilities, families

See all 38 buildings in Thurston County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Yelm

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 Thurston County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Yelm

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Yelm or Thurston County. The ones below are statewide in Washington: they work in Yelm 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 Yelm

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

  • Tacoma/ Pierce County Habitat for Humanity

    4824 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma · 20 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    253-627-5626x120

  • American Financial Solutions

    500 Pacific Avenue, Bremerton · 43 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (888) 864-8699

  • Community Frameworks

    1310 Bertha Ave NW, Bremerton · 44 miles away

    • Home improvement and repairs
    • Workshops for new owners
    • and 2 more
    (360) 842-8059

All counseling agencies in Washington

Help in Spanish near Yelm

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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 Yelm

HUD’s record names them for Yelm or Thurston County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

All housing agencies in Washington Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Thurston County

These cities are also in Thurston County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Thurston County Housing in Washington

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Thurston 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 Yelm.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Yelm

Short answers with the numbers for Yelm and all of Thurston 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 Yelm?

The typical home value in Yelm is $455,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Thurston County it is $480,300.

How much does it cost to rent in Yelm?

Typical rent in Yelm is $1,626 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Thurston County is $1,946.

What is the FHA loan limit in Yelm?

Yelm uses the FHA limit for all of Thurston County (2026): $586,500 for a one-unit home and $1,127,900 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Yelm?

The typical homeowner in Yelm pays $3,474 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.76% of the home’s value; in Thurston County, the rate is 0.88%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Thurston 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).