Housing decision brief
Walla Walla County, WA Housing Market
Walla Walla County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
21st lowest home value out of 39 Washington counties with data | 19th lowest rent out of 39
Median home value
$375,600
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,113/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$1,263/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
5.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$150/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$1,113/mo is 1% below Washington county median
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.90% effective property-tax rate is 15% above Washington county median
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- No strong fit signal was available in the current dataset.
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Walla Walla County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $375,600 | $370,500 | $281,900 | Near state median1% above Washington county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,113 | $1,119 | $1,163 | Near state median1% below Washington county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,263 | $1,221 | $1,672 | Near state median3% above Washington county median |
Median household income | $72,212 | $71,528 | $74,755 | Near state median1% above Washington county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.90% | 0.79% | 1.02% | 15% pressure15% above Washington county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 29.00% | N/A | 7% pressure31.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$27,692
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$18,083
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Walla Walla County is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $1,113/month representing approximately 18.5% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 31.0%.
Rent vs own
Renters in Walla Walla County pay $1,113/month on average, compared to $1,263/month for homeowners. This market favors renters by about 12%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $44,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $54,129/year. With a median household income of $72,212, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in Walla Walla County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Within Washington, Walla Walla County is more affordable than Grant County by roughly 5% ($1,113/mo vs $1,059/mo).
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Klickitat County, WA | $388,700 | $1,119/mo | Same-state comparison near $388,700 home value and $1,119/mo rent. |
| Cowlitz County, WA | $367,400 | $1,169/mo | Same-state comparison near $367,400 home value and $1,169/mo rent. |
| Clallam County, WA | $385,600 | $1,110/mo | Same-state comparison near $385,600 home value and $1,110/mo rent. |
| Spokane County, WA | $370,500 | $1,200/mo | Same-state comparison near $370,500 home value and $1,200/mo rent. |
| Mason County, WA | $377,400 | $1,205/mo | Same-state comparison near $377,400 home value and $1,205/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Walla Walla County
Is Walla Walla County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Walla Walla County?
How much income do you need for housing in Walla Walla County?
What should I double-check before moving to Walla Walla County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.