Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Waitsburg’s best subject grades are an A− for cost of living and history; its weakest is a D for hazard risk. On cost of living, just 9 of Washington’s 395 towns do better. On history, just 18 of Washington’s 397 towns do better. Waitsburg has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Waitsburg beats most towns.
William Perry Bruce HouseIn a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Waitsburg is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 248 in 1880, 1,166 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1883 and 4 maps from 1919 on.
4 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Waitsburg, 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 Waitsburg.
At $811 a month, Waitsburg’s median rent is where Washington’s towns sit at $1,739 a month and U.S. towns at $1,185 a month. The typical Waitsburg home is worth about $368,000, down 0.6% in a year, 37% below the Washington typical home.
| Waitsburg | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $811 a month | $1,739 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 71% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Its public schools are run by the Waitsburg School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waitsburg Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 148 | – |
| Waitsburg High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 87 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 81% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 45 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Waitsburg.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Most working residents leave Waitsburg for work: only 3% work in town. At $68,000, Waitsburg’s median household income is below both Washington’s towns ($98,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). Since 2013, Waitsburg has lost 38 jobs, to 199 in 2023.
| Waitsburg | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.3% | 4.9% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Waitsburg beats the Washington average on 0 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 28% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Waitsburg.
| Waitsburg | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 71% | 79% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 18% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Waitsburg | WA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults with COPD | 6.4% | 5.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.9% | 7.9% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 3.6% | 2.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Waitsburg has mild winters and warm summers, with very little rain. The July high in Waitsburg is 89°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Preston Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Waitsburg
About 2 of every 100 Waitsburg residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
Where Waitsburg’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
4 places in Waitsburg on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Washington, United States
Waitsburg is a city in Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,166 at the 2020 census. Waitsburg has a unique city classification in Washington state, being the state's only city which still operates under its territorial charter. Located on the Touchet River in a rural area of southeastern Washington, Waitsburg has long been tied to the agricultural economy of its surrounding region. The milling of wheat played a prominent role in the first century of Waitsburg's existence, though in recent decades the economy has pivoted towards viticulture and tourism due to its location within the Walla Walla AVA. The downtown core of the community, dating to the 1880s, is li…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
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 A−.
2 notable people were born here, including Genevieve Taggard and C. N. Eaton.
