HomeWashingtonWahkiakum County
Wahkiakum County, Washington: commercial real estate data.
Wahkiakum County, Washington had an estimated 4,800 residents on July 1, 2024, up 8.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 4,424, across 263 square miles. County output reached $132.8 m in 2024, 98 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 5 7(a) approvals worth $2.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wahkiakum County
How many people live in Wahkiakum County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20244,658
- Households2,100
- Average household size2.22
- Median household income$62,653
- Median age54.5
- Median gross rent$853 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$396,800
- Home value to household income6.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over3,579
- Population under 18817
- Share under 1817.5 percent
- Population 65 and over1,590
- Share 65 and over34.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 642,251
- Civilian labor force1,640
- Unemployment rate3.5 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over42.7 percent
- Rank by population among Washington counties37th of 39
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2922nd of 3,222
Wahkiakum County is the 37th largest of 39 Washington counties by population. A median home costs 6.3 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 34.1 percent against 17.5 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wahkiakum County
Is Wahkiakum County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 20244,800
- Census 2020 base population4,424
- Population change since the 2020 census base8.50 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202433
- Births, 202433
- Deaths, 202478
- Natural change, 2024-45
- Net domestic migration, 202478
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 202478
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024502
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents209th of 3,144
The county has grown 8.50 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.
Wahkiakum County
Where are people moving to Wahkiakum County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving135
- People arriving, from those returns255
- Tax returns filed by households leaving108
- Net household movement27
- Adjusted gross income arriving$8.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$2.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$65,570
- Average income of a leaving household$59,000
- Largest single originCowlitz County (29 households)
- Largest single destinationCowlitz County (28 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowlitz County | 29 | 58 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $6,570 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 Cowlitz 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.
Wahkiakum County
What is the Wahkiakum County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$132.8 m
- County GDP, 2023$132.4 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20240.3 percent
- GDP change over five years23.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Washington areas BEA publishes39th of 39
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes3011th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$28,502
Output grew 0.3 percent in the latest year and 23.0 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.
Wahkiakum County
Employment by industry in Wahkiakum County
- Covered employment, annual average726
- Establishments reporting132
- Average annual pay$45,092
- Average weekly wage$867
- Retail trade, employment92
- Retail trade, average annual pay$30,126
- Accommodation and food services, employment59
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,085
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment57
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, average annual pay$66,715
- Manufacturing, employment54
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$40,055
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment25
- Information, employment24
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 92 | 14 | $30,126 |
| Accommodation and food services | 59 | 16 | $18,085 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 57 | 12 | $66,715 |
| Manufacturing | 54 | 6 | $40,055 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 25 | 7 | $28,064 |
| Information | 24 | 7 | $62,598 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 14 | 11 | $42,372 |
| Other services, except public administration | 6 | 6 | $22,921 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 92 jobs, 12.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wahkiakum County
How many businesses are in Wahkiakum County?
- Establishments, all industries98
- Employment at those establishments478
- Annual payroll$18.6 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.0
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.
Wahkiakum County
Building permits in Wahkiakum County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202423
- Declared construction value permitted$7.5 m
- Single family units authorized18
- Multifamily units authorized5
- Multifamily share of units21.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$326,413
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.0
Single-family homes are 78.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wahkiakum County
SBA loans in Wahkiakum County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded5
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$2.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$429,000
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- Largest single approval$990,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)38
- Jobs per approval7.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active3
- Distinct industries receiving approvals3
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer20.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter4
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals20.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$121,000
- Average 504 approval$121,000
- Median 504 approval$121,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval4.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved33.1
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$2.3 m
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.
Wahkiakum County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wahkiakum County
Do SBA loans in Wahkiakum County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded0
- Paid in full0
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure4
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 0 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.
Wahkiakum County
SBA lending by place in Wahkiakum County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Cathlamet, approvals3
- Grays River, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Cathlamet | 3 | $1,715,000 |
| Grays River | 2 | $430,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wahkiakum County
How large is Wahkiakum County?
- Land area263 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Washington counties37th of 39
- Width, east to west24.6 mi
- Height, north to south16.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land18
- Establishments per square mile0.37
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.
Wahkiakum County
Flood risk in Wahkiakum County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wahkiakum County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 530193
- Community Rating System class of the county's own communityClass 10
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book2
- Of those, participating in the NFIP2
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 10
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Wahkiakum 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 Wahkiakum County (community 530193), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries Community Rating System class 10, a flood insurance premium discount for policies written there. The EPA places Wahkiakum 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. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 10, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 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 Wahkiakum 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 Wahkiakum County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-20244,658
- Households2,100
- Average household size2.22
- Median household income$62,653
- Median age54.5
Common questions
Wahkiakum County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wahkiakum County, Washington?
The Census Bureau estimates 4,800 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 4,658, in 2,100 households, ranking 37th of 39 Washington counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wahkiakum County's population growing?
The population has grown 8.50 percent since the 2020 census base of 4,424, to 4,800 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 33 births against 78 deaths, with net migration of 78. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wahkiakum County?
$62,653. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $396,800, which is 6.3 times income, and median gross rent is $853 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wahkiakum County?
98 establishments, employing 478 people with an annual payroll of $18.6 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Wahkiakum County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 92 jobs, 12.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 726 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,092, or $867 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wahkiakum County?
5 7(a) approvals totaling $2.1 m since FY2020, across 3 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 1 504 approvals worth $121,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wahkiakum County?
23 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $7.5 m. Multifamily was 21.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wahkiakum 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 Wahkiakum County come from?
The largest single origin is Cowlitz County, with 29 households. Arriving households report an average income of $65,570 against $59,000 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wahkiakum 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 Wahkiakum 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.
Wahkiakum County
Cities and places in Wahkiakum.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wahkiakum County. All 10 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puget Island | CDP | 1,008 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| East Cathlamet | CDP | 934 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cathlamet | town | 616 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Rosburg | CDP | 528 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Skamokawa Valley | CDP | 352 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lower Elochoman | CDP | 271 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Grays River | CDP | 195 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Deep River | CDP | 147 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Upper Elochoman | CDP | 49 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Altoona | CDP | 43 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby