Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
2.4 times the nonprofits per person than the typical Washington town.
Chewelah grades D overall, 252nd among Washington's 285 graded towns, mostly because of incomes and schools. The median household income is $54K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. Its public schools trail 81% of Washington towns on state tests and graduation. In its favor, homes are within reach, about $346K for a typical one, or 4.5 years of the Spokane metro’s $77K median household income. 29% of residents are 65 or older in Chewelah, above both the Washington town median (16%) and the median of U.S. towns (18%). Only 35 of Washington’s 397 towns score lower on health. Chewelah's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Where Chewelah beats most towns.
Old Indian AgencyEach subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Chewelah is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 823 in 1910, 2,470 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1870 and 3 maps from 1964 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Chewelah, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Chewelah.
Chewelah trades lower home prices for longer drives to work, has a shorter frost-free season than nearly all U.S. towns and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
Its public schools are run by the Chewelah School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Jenkins Junior/Senior High, with 322 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gess ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 324 | – |
| Jenkins Junior/Senior HighLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 322 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Homes are within reach (about $346K for the typical one, B+ for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 39 miles. The median property tax bill is $1,837, against $4,556 across Washington, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
Chewelah’s median rent is $885 a month. The typical Chewelah home is worth about $346,000, about the same as a year ago, 41% below the Washington typical home.
| Chewelah | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $885 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 68% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Chewelah | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.6 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.2% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Chewelah City Park | — | 9 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Against the 7,175 U.S. towns with household incomes like Chewelah’s, it is healthier than 60%, so its C isn’t only a matter of income.
40% of adults have high blood pressure in Chewelah. Only 6 of the 285 Washington towns we compare have a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Chewelah. 26% of adults have been diagnosed with depression in Chewelah.
| Chewelah | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 9.8% | 12% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 19% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 16% |
| What stands out | Chewelah | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14% | 16.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 76.3% | 70.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 10.4% | 5.1% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The Colville weather station, 22 miles away, records that the frost-free season runs about 153 days, shorter than in 97% of U.S. towns.
Chewelah has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. The July high in Chewelah is 87°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The average commute for its 952 working residents takes 16.1 minutes, against 26.6 across Washington.
Jobs based in Chewelah grew to 906 in 2023, 100 more than in 2013. Among 285 Washington towns, just 9 have a lower median household income than Chewelah. The top destinations are Spokane (15%), Colville (13%) and Spokane Valley (5%).
| Chewelah | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 16 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $54,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 13% | 15% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 63% of U.S. communities. Since 2000, 2 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Chewelah.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Chewelah; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Chewelah residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
City in Washington, United States
Chewelah ( chə-WEE-lə) is a city in Stevens County, Washington, United States. It is located approximately 45 mi (72 km) northwest of Spokane. The population was 2,470 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Chewelah grades D overall, better than 14% of U.S. towns and #252 of 285 in Washington. It grades C for health and C− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
2 notable people were born here, including Allen Stone and John R. Monaghan.