HomeWashingtonWhitman County
Whitman County, Washington: commercial real estate data.
Whitman County, Washington had an estimated 48,399 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 47,979, across 2,159 square miles. County output reached $3.38 bn in 2024, 873 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 54 7(a) approvals worth $11.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Whitman County
How many people live in Whitman County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202447,003
- Households18,721
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$55,406
- Median age26.4
- Median gross rent$1,049 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$359,600
- Home value to household income6.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income22.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher49.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree22.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over24,572
- Population under 187,439
- Share under 1815.8 percent
- Population 65 and over5,597
- Share 65 and over11.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6433,967
- Civilian labor force25,108
- Unemployment rate7.0 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over63.5 percent
- Rank by population among Washington counties24th of 39
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1059th of 3,222
Whitman County is the 24th largest of 39 Washington counties by population. A median home costs 6.5 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 15.8 percent against 11.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Whitman County
Is Whitman County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202448,399
- Census 2020 base population47,979
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.88 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024499
- Births, 2024400
- Deaths, 2024340
- Natural change, 202460
- Net domestic migration, 2024-169
- Net international migration, 2024602
- Total net migration, 2024433
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-1,305
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1522nd of 3,144
The county has grown 0.88 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Whitman County
Where are people moving to Whitman County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,790
- People arriving, from those returns2,730
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,059
- Net household movement-269
- Adjusted gross income arriving$89.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-30.0 m
- Average income of an arriving household$50,105
- Average income of a leaving household$58,138
- Largest single originSpokane County (190 households)
- Largest single destinationSpokane County (214 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane County | 190 | 313 | $8.6 m |
| Latah County | 180 | 280 | $9.7 m |
| King County | 114 | 131 | $5.8 m |
| Pierce County | 70 | 93 | $3.0 m |
| Snohomish County | 52 | 71 | $2.6 m |
| Nez Perce County | 40 | 62 | $1.5 m |
| Clark County | 38 | 49 | $1.7 m |
| Kootenai County | 36 | 58 | $1.9 m |
Households arriving report $8,033 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Spokane 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.
Whitman County
What is the Whitman County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$3.38 bn
- County GDP, 2023$3.23 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.6 percent
- GDP change over five years23.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Washington areas BEA publishes21st of 39
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes909th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$71,878
Output grew 4.6 percent in the latest year and 23.1 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.
Whitman County
Employment by industry in Whitman County
- Covered employment, annual average19,125
- Establishments reporting1,243
- Average annual pay$64,512
- Average weekly wage$1,241
- Manufacturing, employment2,923
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$88,155
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,638
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$51,818
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,532
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$22,912
- Retail trade, employment1,301
- Retail trade, average annual pay$36,130
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment632
- Wholesale trade, employment537
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,923 | 35 | $88,155 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,638 | 100 | $51,818 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,532 | 114 | $22,912 |
| Retail trade | 1,301 | 85 | $36,130 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 632 | 116 | $92,121 |
| Wholesale trade | 537 | 57 | $73,425 |
| Construction | 493 | 96 | $63,152 |
| Other services, except public administration | 302 | 82 | $36,895 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,923 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Whitman County
How many businesses are in Whitman County?
- Establishments, all industries873
- Employment at those establishments11,417
- Annual payroll$640.5 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents18.6
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.
Whitman County
Building permits in Whitman County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202444
- Declared construction value permitted$13.3 m
- Single family units authorized40
- Multifamily units authorized4
- Multifamily share of units9.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$302,895
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.4
Single-family homes are 90.9 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Whitman County
SBA loans in Whitman County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded54
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$11.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$206,415
- Median 7(a) approval$50,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$444,500
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)309
- Jobs per approval5.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active14
- Distinct industries receiving approvals34
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms7
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter45
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals1.9 percent
- Leading industry by approval countWheat Farming (10)
- Most active lenderColumbia Bank (28)
- 504 approvals recorded12
- 504 gross approval dollars$14.0 m
- Average 504 approval$1,168,250
- Median 504 approval$343,500
- Distinct CDCs active5
- 504 jobs per approval9.3
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.9
- Most active CDCCapital Matrix, Inc. (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$25.2 m
The average approval of $206,415 sits well above the median of $50,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 13.0 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.
Whitman County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Whitman County
Do SBA loans in Whitman County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded16
- Paid in full15
- Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full15
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure28
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Only 16 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.
Whitman County
SBA lending by place in Whitman County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending14
- Pullman, approvals21
- Colfax, approvals15
- Palouse, approvals2
- Endicott, approvals2
- Uniontown, approvals2
- Garfield, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Pullman | 21 | $9,569,100 |
| Colfax | 15 | $730,700 |
| Palouse | 2 | $100,000 |
| Endicott | 2 | $90,000 |
| Uniontown | 2 | $90,000 |
| Garfield | 2 | $85,000 |
| St. John | 2 | $61,000 |
| LaCrosse | 2 | $45,000 |
| 6 other borrower cities | 6 | $375,600 |
Pullman accounts for 21 approvals against 15 in Colfax. 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.
Whitman County
How large is Whitman County?
- Land area2,159 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Washington counties10th of 39
- Width, east to west57.3 mi
- Height, north to south58.1 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary10
- Residents per square mile of land22
- Establishments per square mile0.40
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.
Whitman County
Flood risk in Whitman County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Whitman County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 530205
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book17
- Of those, participating in the NFIP15
- NFIP participation rate88.2 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Whitman County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Whitman County (community 530205), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Whitman County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 88.2 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 Whitman 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 Whitman County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202447,003
- Households18,721
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$55,406
- Median age26.4
Common questions
Whitman County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Whitman County, Washington?
The Census Bureau estimates 48,399 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 47,003, in 18,721 households, ranking 24th of 39 Washington counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Whitman County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.88 percent since the 2020 census base of 47,979, to 48,399 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 400 births against 340 deaths, with net migration of 433. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Whitman County?
$55,406. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $359,600, which is 6.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,049 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Whitman County?
873 establishments, employing 11,417 people with an annual payroll of $640.5 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 Whitman County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,923 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 19,125 jobs at an average annual pay of $64,512, or $1,241 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Whitman County?
54 7(a) approvals totaling $11.1 m since FY2020, across 14 lenders, with a median approval of $50,000, plus 12 504 approvals worth $14.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Whitman County?
44 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $13.3 m. Multifamily was 9.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Whitman County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Whitman County come from?
The largest single origin is Spokane County, with 190 households. Arriving households report an average income of $50,105 against $58,138 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Whitman 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 Whitman 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.
Whitman County
Cities and places in Whitman.
17 Census places lie wholly or partly in Whitman County. All 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pullman | city | 32,229 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Colfax | city | 2,708 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Palouse | city | 1,147 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Tekoa | city | 690 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| St. John | town | 607 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Rosalia | town | 513 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Albion | town | 495 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Garfield | town | 475 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Endicott | town | 425 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Uniontown | town | 400 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Oakesdale | town | 396 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| LaCrosse | town | 357 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Colton | town | 323 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lamont | town | 170 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Steptoe | CDP | 162 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Farmington | town | 140 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Malden | town | 100 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 4 of the county's 54 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Whitman County, the largest being Pomeroy (1), Hay (1), Hooper (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.