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Yelm, WA
Full City Profile · Washington · Thurston County County
3.2
/5.0
B
Good
10,618
Population
1,828/sq mi density
$88,279
Median Income
$32,860 per capita
$439,100
Home Value
$482,985 Zillow
$1,363
Median Rent
29.3% income on rent
51°F
Avg Temperature
237 sunny days/yr
329
Violent Crime/100K
4,024 property/100K
B
Overall
3.2 / 5.0
Good overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
A+
Economy
4.7 / 5.0
$88,279 median income, 2.2% unemployment
B+
Affordability
3.9 / 5.0
$439,100 home value, $1,363/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
329 violent crimes/100K
B
Education
3.1 / 5.0
26.1% bachelor's degree or higher
Yelm experiences four distinct seasons with an average annual temperature of 51°F (11°C). Winters average 40°F in January while summers reach 64°F in July. The area gets 237 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 50.6 inches. The area receives 3.9 inches of snow annually. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 28.
Temperature
40°F Jan (4°C)
64°F Jul (18°C)
| Annual Average | 50.5°F |
| 6% below US avg | |
| January Average | 40°F (4°C) |
| July Average | 64°F (18°C) |
| Sunny Days | 237 days/yr |
Geography
| Elevation | 413 ft (126 m) |
| Area | 2.2 sq mi (5.7 km²) |
| Population Density | 1,828/sq mi |
| Coordinates | 46.9426°N, 122.6432°W |
| Timezone | America/Los_Angeles |
| County | Thurston County County |
| Nearest Airport | Olympia Regional (OLM) 12 miles away |
Precipitation & Snow
Air Quality
| AQI Median | 28.0 |
| Rating | Good |
Air Pollutants (EPA 2023)
| Ozone (O₃) | 0.0364 ppm |
Natural Hazard Risk
| Overall Risk | Relatively High |
| Risk Score | 94.5 / 100 |
| Social Vulnerability | 19.5 / 100 |
| Community Resilience | 65.0 / 100 |
Hazard Breakdown
| Tornado | Very Low |
| Earthquake | Relatively High |
| Wildfire | Very Low |
| Flood | Relatively Moderate |
| Hail | Very Low |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low |
| Lightning | Relatively Low |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate |
| Drought | Very Low |
| Cold Wave | Very Low |
| Landslide | Relatively High |
| Coastal Flood | Relatively Low |
| Tsunami | Very Low |
| Volcano | Relatively Moderate |
| Avalanche | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (Dec 2025)
Tsunami History
6 tsunamis recorded within 500 km. Highest wave on record: 250.0 m (820 ft).
| Year | Location | Cause | Max Wave | Deaths | Distance |
| 1980 | WASHINGTON | Explosion | 250.0 m | 61 | 90 km |
| 1894 | PUYALLUP RIVER DELTA, TACOMA, WA | Meteorological | 3.0 m | 2 | 41 km |
| 1891 | WASHINGTON | Eruption + Earthquake | 2.4 m | — | 134 km |
| 1949 | PUGET SOUND, WA | Meteorological | 2.4 m | — | 41 km |
| 1949 | PUGET SOUND, WA | Eruption + Earthquake | — | 8 | 25 km |
| 1820 | CAMANO ISLAND, WA | Meteorological | — | — | 126 km |
Source: NOAA/NCEI Historical Tsunami Database. Sorted by wave height.
Nearby Volcanoes
7 volcanoes within 200 km. Closest: Rainier (68 km).
| Name | Type | Elevation | Last Eruption | Distance |
| Rainier | Stratovolcano | 4,392 m (14,409 ft) | 1450 | 68 km |
| St. Helens | Stratovolcano | 2,549 m (8,363 ft) | 2008 | 90 km |
| Adams | Stratovolcano | 3,742 m (12,277 ft) | 950 | 120 km |
| West Crater | Volcanic field | 1,329 m (4,360 ft) | -5750 | 126 km |
| Indian Heaven | Shield(s) | 1,806 m (5,925 ft) | -6250 | 129 km |
| Glacier Peak | Stratovolcano | 3,213 m (10,541 ft) | 1700 | 174 km |
| Hood | Stratovolcano | 3,426 m (11,240 ft) | 1866 | 189 km |
Source: Smithsonian Institution Global Volcanism Program (GVP). Sorted by distance.
Monthly Weather
| Month | Avg Temperature | Precipitation | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40°F (4°C) | 7.3 in | |
| February | 41°F (5°C) | 5.7 in | |
| March | 44°F (7°C) | 4.9 in | |
| April | 48°F (9°C) | 3.8 in | |
| May | 54°F (12°C) | 2.4 in | |
| June | 59°F (15°C) | 2.1 in | |
| July | 64°F (18°C) | 0.9 in | Warmest, Driest |
| August | 64°F (18°C) | 1.3 in | |
| September | 59°F (15°C) | 2.1 in | |
| October | 51°F (11°C) | 4.0 in | |
| November | 43°F (6°C) | 7.6 in | Wettest |
| December | 39°F (4°C) | 7.6 in | Coldest |
Yelm has a seasonal temperature swing of 25°F / from 39°F in December to 64°F in July. Total annual precipitation is 49.8 inches, with November being the wettest month (7.6") and July the driest (0.9").