Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 198, settled in 1899.
Nespelem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 300 in 1940, a peak of 425 in 1950, 180 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1900 and 2 maps from 1950 on.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nespelem, 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 Nespelem.
Expected losses in Nespelem break down as 40% from inland flooding and 31% from avalanches. The town’s risk rating from FEMA is 95 of 100. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Nespelem once, in 2012.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
For Nespelem, the peak summer temperature is 87°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most people who work leave Nespelem to do it: just 9% work in town. In Nespelem, 20% of residents live below the poverty line, above both Washington’s towns (7.9%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Since 2013, Nespelem has added 58 jobs, to 61 in 2023. For half of commuters, work is under 13 miles away.
| Nespelem | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 12 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 9.1% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
No town among the 286 in Washington we compare has a higher share of adults who smoke cigarettes than Nespelem. Nespelem: a quarter of adults say their health is fair or poor. Among 286 Washington towns, just 9 have a higher share of adults who worry about having enough food than Nespelem. In Nespelem, 42% of adults sleep under 7 hours, above both the Washington town median (33%) and the median of U.S. towns (36%).
| Nespelem | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 11% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 17% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 33% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 10% | 14% |
| What stands out | Nespelem | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 29.7% | 34.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23.3% | 9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Nespelem; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Nespelem residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
Town in Washington, United States
Nespelem is a town in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. The population was 180 at the 2020 census. The town is located on the Colville Indian Reservation. The name Nespelem is derived from a local Native American term meaning "large flat meadow".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Nespelem has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.