Walla Walla County Income Charts

This section shows the Walla Walla County Washington economy using the most recent economic analysis from the 2022 Census Bureau. Starting with Figure 1 which shows the median earnings per worker, Walla Walla County shows it has a Median earnings of $53,571 which is the second most of all the counties in the metro area. The county with the highest median earnings per worker in the area is Columbia County which depicts a median earnings of $53,861 ( about the same size). Comparing median earnings per worker to the United States average of $53,269, Walla Walla County is about the same size. Also, benchmarked against the state of Washington, median earnings per worker of $63,384, Walla Walla County is about 18.3% smaller.

In Figure 2 a more complete view of income is shown which aggregates income from all members in the household and it has a Median household income of $63,686 which is the third most median income of all other counties in the greater Walla Walla County region. The county with the highest median household income in the area is Franklin County which depicts a median income of $72,452 (13.8% larger). Comparing median household income to the United States average of $69,021, Walla Walla County is about 8.4% smaller. Also, measured against the state of Washington, median household income of $82,400, Walla Walla County is approximately three-fourths the size. Dividing median annual worker earnings by the average number of hours worked in a year in Figure 4 shows that it has a Avg Hrly Earnings of $28.38 which is more than all other counties in the greater Walla Walla County region. Comparing average hourly earnings to the United States average of $26.40, Walla Walla County is 7.5% larger. Also, benchmarked against the state of Washington, average hourly earnings of $31.66, Walla Walla County is about 11.6% smaller.

Figure 5 examines the number of self employed people in the Walla Walla County metro area based on the number of people who reported any self employment income. Walla Walla County shows it has a Self Employed of 12.5% which is the second most of all the counties in the greater region. The county with the highest percentage of people self employed in the area is Garfield County which shows a percentage self employed of 13.6% (9.5% larger).

Figure 6 breaks down the source of income and Walla Walla County has the largest proportion of income from wages at 7.7% of the total and is ranked #1.

The next chart (Figure 7) shows the percentage of households that had retirement income over the last 12 months and it has a With Retirement Income of 23.8% which is the third most households with retirement income of all other counties in the greater Walla Walla County region. The county with the highest households with retirement income in the area is Garfield County which depicts a households with retirement income of 31.2% (30.8% larger).

The percentage of full-time workers are compared to the number of part-time workers in Figure 8. Walla Walla County depicts full time employees about twice as large as the part time employees.

Similar to the last chart is Figure 9 which shows the number of people who are self employed but in more detailed industry categories such as manufacturing, retail sales, residential real estate, commercial real estate, health care, exports/imports, and advanced industries, etc. Walla Walla County depicts it has the hightest entrepreneurs of 18% for the self employed in professional, scientific, management, administrative services aggregate.

Figure 10 shows the cost of living and other consumer spending categories for a variety of cost components from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Walla Walla County depicts it has the hightest cost of 117.1 for the cost of healthcare category.

Walla Walla County Poverty Charts

In Figure 11 the percentage of people earning less than the poverty level is shown and compared across the group of places. Walla Walla County shows it has a Percent of Population In Poverty of 11.1% which is less than most other counties in the local area. The county with the highest percent of people earning less than the poverty level in the area is Whitman County which depicts a percent of people in poverty of 24.7% (approximately 2.2 times bigger). Additionally, Figure 12 looks at the percentage of people who receive some form of public assistance including general assistance, temporary assistance or food stamps (i.e. SNAP.) Walla Walla County depicts it has a Public Assistance Percent of 13.1% which is less than most other counties in the local area. The county with the highest households with public assistance in the area is Franklin County which shows a households with public assistance of 22.8% (74.7% larger).

Walla Walla County Labor Force Charts

The table in Figure 13, shows Walla Walla County employment data in terms of job categories and salary data.

The next two charts look at monthly trended employment related performance using data estimated by economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS tracks unemployment statistics for a large number of areas throughout the country on a month to month basis. However, not every location in the U.S. is tracked by the BLS so the chart will only show the closest location available (which may be the same location.) Figure 14 shows the monthly unemployment rate for the area as well as a comparison to the overall national economy measure for the United States. Note that in March to April 2022, the Covid 19 recession occurred and affects this metric. The monthly unemployment rate shows that from January 2017 to before the COVID-19 Pandemic it went from 4.8% to 4.4% in March 2020. This represents a decrease in the monthly unemployment rate of 8.3%. Since that time, the monthly unemployment rate has gone to 3.5%. This represents a decrease in the monthly unemployment rate of 20.5%.

Walla Walla County Jobs Charts

In the jobs section of economic activity charts in Figure 15 shows the average annual earnings for very high level job industry categories for full time and year round employed.

Figure 16 shows the average median earnings for different categories of jobs.

Walla Walla County Work Commute Charts

Figure 18 shows a more detailed view of how the population commutes to work for (for example to downtown Walla Walla County or elsewhere.) Walla Walla County has the smallest proportion of people who carpooled at 9% of the total.

Figure 19 is provided for comparison purposes to the previous chart. It shows how people get to work overall on average in the United States.

The average commute time is shown in Figure 21. Walla Walla County shows it has a Avg Commute Time of 15 which is the smallest in order of average commute time of all the other counties in the greater region.