The Walla Walla Trends project seeks to improve local, public decision making by providing relevant data in an easily navigable website. The data provided on this website is offered as neutral information.
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In PEOPLE:
Voting is one of the rights and responsibilities of our country. This indicator tracks the turn-out at off-year, mid-term and presidential election years for Walla Walla County and the state. The measure is simply the number who voted divided by the count of registered voters.
For the presidential election last November, Walla Walla voters continued the trend over the past dozen years of turning out at a slightly higher rate than in Washington: 78.4% vs. 74.9%. Nonetheless, it was the lowest turn-out for a presidential ballot since 2000.
To simplify the graph and examine the presidential years only, click off all other entries in the legend.
In ECONOMIC VITALITY:
Per Capita Personal Income Has Recently Been Stagnant
Per capita personal income is usually regarded as a core indicator of economic success. It is an average and encompasses the entire population, with one exception here. The Trends provides two local measures – one with the average annual Penitentiary population and one without it.
The last two years have shown little increase over the prior year, unlike the stretch between 2018 and 2021. The 2023 value without the Penitentiary population was $56,836, considerably less than the national and far less than the state averages.
New Business Applications Have Soared
Any local economy works to promote business formation, as entrepreneurship is highly valued. This relatively new series, from Census, doesn’t track business creation per se, but the precursor step, an application to form a business. There are more applications than actual businesses created, but the shrinkage is likely minimal.
The last three years have witnessed very robust growth in applications in Walla Walla County, with each year setting a record. The 2023 count, at 570, represents an increase of two thirds since 2014. The average growth rates for the county and state are identical, at 4.1%.
This relatively new indicator is based on the American Community Survey (ACS) from the U.S. Census. It offers totals of parents with children who are residents of the Walla Walla MSA (Walla Walla & Columbia Counties) who are also in the workforce. They are divided into three categories: both parents, single female and single male.
The estimate of working parents with children for 2023 was the second highest in the last decade. About ¾ of parents with children were employed. This represents a decline from 2021 when the share was 79%. The largest segment of working parents with children is where both parents work.
In EDUCATION:
Share of Children Ages 3 and 4 Enrolled in Preschool Is Higher than U.S. and State
Preschool can give young children a head start with kindergarten and beyond. This ACS estimate for the Walla Walla MSA (Walla Walla & Columbia Counties) covers most private and public preschools. The exception is Early Head Start.
While the estimates for Walla Walla are volatile and the 2023 estimates show the same values, over the course of the years depicted, the average local share has been 51%, which is above the average U.S. and state shares.
In EDUCATION CONT:
With several thousand students, Walla Walla can rightfully call itself a college town. The number of degrees granted is a metric of success in higher education, and depending on the graduation rate, also reflects enrollment.
As the graph reveals, the academic year a decade ago (2013-2014) represents the peak in the number of graduates at all three schools. Since then, a slight overall decline is apparent. Bachelor’s degrees have increased and represent the largest of the three levels. Master’s degrees, a small segment, have declined a bit. Associate’s degrees, however, have decreased the greatest over the decade.
To simplify the graph, click on those legend entries you would like to hide.
Washington state is one where STEM degrees are in high demand. So are healthcare degrees, which are included in this indicator. After peaking in academic year 2019-2020, STEM & health degrees, at all three levels (Associates, bachelor’s & Master’s), have declined. For academic year 2022-2023, total degrees granted in the count was 445.
This decline was due entirely to a drop in bachelor’s STEM degrees. Master’s and Associate’s STEM degrees went up. The past two years have shown the lowest STEM degree counts since 2013-2014.
To simplify the graph, click on those legend entries you would like to hide.
In HEALTH:
Share of Adults Diagnosed with Diabetes Is Higher than in Washington State
Diabetes, whether Type 1 (diagnosed as a child) or Type 2 (adult-onset) usually brings added burden to daily living and a risk of premature mortality. More broadly, societal costs are in the billions of dollars. This estimate of the share of adults with a diagnosis of diabetes comes from a survey fielded by the Centers for Disease Control.
With two exceptions, it is clear the Walla Walla rate among adults is elevated relative to the state rate. For 2022, the year of most recent data, the gap was 12.5% here, versus 8.9% statewide. The 11-year average for the county: 10.1% vs. 8.4% statewide.
The Number of Residents without Health Insurance and Their Share of the Population Has Stayed Low
Good health without access to healthcare is nearly impossible. Access depends on a sufficient number of providers as well as the ability of patients to pay for their care. Those without health insurance either forego care, receive it in a costly manner such as in ERs, or suffer poor quality care relative to those with insurance.
This measure, from the ACS of the Census, tracks Walla Walla MSA (Walla Walla and Columbia Counties) residents who do not have insurance.
The Affordable Care Act ushered in a remarkable decline at its inception in 2015. Over the past three years, the share of the entire population (excluding the Penitentiary) without insurance has been a little less than 7%. This share is far below the U.S. share but slightly above the state share.
In HOUSING:
Median Home Resale Price Has Recently Leveled Out but Is Historically Elevated
A single-family home is typically the largest purchase and investment in an individual or family’s life. Much of the “American dream” revolves around home ownership. Obviously, price matters when one considers purchasing a home. The price represents the forces of supply and demand in the single-family market, and indirectly, the status of the rental market.
This is a quarterly measure of homes that have had at least one owner; new construction is not included. For Q3 2024, the median in the county was $430,500. The median price has been in the $400,000 range since mid-2022. A decade ago, in Q3 of 2015, the median was far less, at $182,700.
list updated 1.13.25