HomeWashingtonChelan County
Chelan County, Washington: commercial real estate data.
Chelan County, Washington had an estimated 81,228 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 79,144, across 2,921 square miles. County output reached $7.13 bn in 2024, 2,782 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 100 7(a) approvals worth $79.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Chelan County
How many people live in Chelan County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202480,172
- Households31,520
- Average household size2.54
- Median household income$82,381
- Median age40.4
- Median gross rent$1,226 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$490,100
- Home value to household income5.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher31.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over55,826
- Population under 1818,109
- Share under 1822.6 percent
- Population 65 and over16,769
- Share 65 and over20.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6445,294
- Civilian labor force38,096
- Unemployment rate3.7 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over61.4 percent
- Rank by population among Washington counties17th of 39
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included726th of 3,222
Chelan County is the 17th largest of 39 Washington counties by population. A median home costs 5.9 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.6 percent against 20.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Chelan County
Is Chelan County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202481,228
- Census 2020 base population79,144
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.63 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024789
- Births, 2024776
- Deaths, 2024917
- Natural change, 2024-141
- Net domestic migration, 2024200
- Net international migration, 2024730
- Total net migration, 2024930
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024780
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents972nd of 3,144
The county has grown 2.63 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Chelan County
Where are people moving to Chelan County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,630
- People arriving, from those returns4,601
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,595
- Net household movement35
- Adjusted gross income arriving$275.8 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$71.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$104,849
- Average income of a leaving household$78,710
- Largest single originDouglas County (687 households)
- Largest single destinationDouglas County (768 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County | 687 | 1,265 | $40.0 m |
| King County | 367 | 619 | $85.6 m |
| Snohomish County | 182 | 329 | $23.1 m |
| Grant County | 92 | 173 | $6.5 m |
| Spokane County | 85 | 116 | $4.9 m |
| Okanogan County | 76 | 127 | $3.7 m |
| Pierce County | 75 | 145 | $7.3 m |
| Yakima County | 48 | 78 | $2.9 m |
Households arriving report $26,139 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Douglas County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Chelan County
What is the Chelan County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$7.13 bn
- County GDP, 2023$7.08 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.7 percent
- GDP change over five years46.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Washington areas BEA publishes14th of 39
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes576th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$88,957
Output grew 0.7 percent in the latest year and 46.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Chelan County
Employment by industry in Chelan County
- Covered employment, annual average44,962
- Establishments reporting3,251
- Average annual pay$57,540
- Average weekly wage$1,107
- Health care and social assistance, employment7,105
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$77,321
- Accommodation and food services, employment4,857
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$31,682
- Retail trade, employment4,328
- Retail trade, average annual pay$38,579
- Construction, employment2,700
- Construction, average annual pay$94,496
- Manufacturing, employment2,132
- Wholesale trade, employment1,954
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,105 | 258 | $77,321 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,857 | 342 | $31,682 |
| Retail trade | 4,328 | 304 | $38,579 |
| Construction | 2,700 | 464 | $94,496 |
| Manufacturing | 2,132 | 140 | $56,274 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,954 | 105 | $65,258 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,436 | 190 | $47,917 |
| Other services, except public administration | 1,048 | 226 | $42,069 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 7,105 jobs, 15.8 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Chelan County
How many businesses are in Chelan County?
- Establishments, all industries2,782
- Employment at those establishments32,779
- Annual payroll$1.84 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents34.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Chelan County
Building permits in Chelan County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024762
- Declared construction value permitted$181.5 m
- Single family units authorized332
- Multifamily units authorized430
- Multifamily share of units56.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$238,160
- Units authorized per 1,000 households24.2
Multifamily is 56.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Chelan County
SBA loans in Chelan County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded100
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$79.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$797,676
- Median 7(a) approval$200,000
- 10th percentile approval$20,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,246,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)780
- Jobs per approval7.8
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active35
- Distinct industries receiving approvals60
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer26.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms26
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter68
- Franchise loans12
- Franchise share of approvals12.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (13)
- Most active lenderPeoples Bank (9)
- 504 approvals recorded39
- 504 gross approval dollars$34.1 m
- Average 504 approval$873,308
- Median 504 approval$491,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval6.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.6
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$113.8 m
The average approval of $797,676 sits well above the median of $200,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 26.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chelan County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Chelan County
Do SBA loans in Chelan County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded12
- Paid in full12
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure68
- Status: Paid in full12
- Status: Cancelled19
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 12 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chelan County
SBA lending by place in Chelan County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Wenatchee, approvals59
- Leavenworth, approvals12
- Cashmere, approvals11
- Chelan, approvals10
- Manson, approvals5
- Peshastin, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee | 59 | $53,230,100 |
| Leavenworth | 12 | $4,883,500 |
| Cashmere | 11 | $14,034,500 |
| Chelan | 10 | $2,043,300 |
| Manson | 5 | $5,456,200 |
| Peshastin | 2 | $105,000 |
| Malaga | 1 | $15,000 |
Wenatchee accounts for 59 approvals against 12 in Leavenworth. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chelan County
How large is Chelan County?
- Land area2,921 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Washington counties3rd of 39
- Width, east to west60.8 mi
- Height, north to south88.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land27
- Establishments per square mile0.95
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Chelan County
Flood risk in Chelan County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Chelan County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 530015
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book6
- Of those, participating in the NFIP6
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Chelan County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Chelan County (community 530015), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Chelan County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Chelan County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Chelan County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202480,172
- Households31,520
- Average household size2.54
- Median household income$82,381
- Median age40.4
Common questions
Chelan County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Chelan County, Washington?
The Census Bureau estimates 81,228 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 80,172, in 31,520 households, ranking 17th of 39 Washington counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Chelan County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.63 percent since the 2020 census base of 79,144, to 81,228 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 776 births against 917 deaths, with net migration of 930. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Chelan County?
$82,381. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $490,100, which is 5.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,226 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Chelan County?
2,782 establishments, employing 32,779 people with an annual payroll of $1.84 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Chelan County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 7,105 jobs, 15.8 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 44,962 jobs at an average annual pay of $57,540, or $1,107 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Chelan County?
100 7(a) approvals totaling $79.8 m since FY2020, across 35 lenders, with a median approval of $200,000, plus 39 504 approvals worth $34.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Chelan County?
762 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $181.5 m. Multifamily was 56.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Chelan County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Chelan County come from?
The largest single origin is Douglas County, with 687 households. Arriving households report an average income of $104,849 against $78,710 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Chelan County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Chelan County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Chelan County
Cities and places in Chelan.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Chelan County. All 9 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee | city | 35,484 | 59 | Wholly in this county |
| Chelan | city | 4,350 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Sunnyslope | CDP | 3,706 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cashmere | city | 3,304 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Leavenworth | city | 2,569 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Manson | CDP | 1,462 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Entiat | city | 1,284 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South Wenatchee | CDP | 1,226 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chelan Falls | CDP | 233 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 100 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Chelan County, the largest being Peshastin (2), Malaga (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
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