Nespelem, Washington Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 151, Nespelem's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Nespelem is a small community located in Washington, within Okanogan County. The total population is 151. It ranks as the 575th most populous out of 628 Census-designated places in Washington.

Age Demographics

The median age in Nespelem is 33.8 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 38.3 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Nespelem is $67,500. This is 31% lower than the state median of $98,141. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 19.9%. This is 101% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.9%. The unemployment rate is 6.8%. This is 33% higher than the state rate of 5.1%. The median home value is $120,000. Housing costs are 79% lower than the state median of $564,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Nespelem is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 11% higher than the state average of 63.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

Nespelem is a highly diverse community where no single racial or ethnic group constitutes a majority of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 4.0%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (4.0%) is well below the state average of 63.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (5.3%) is well below the state average of 14.4%.

Education

15.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 61% lower than the state rate of 39.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Nespelem, Washington is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Washington state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 628 Census-designated places in Washington. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.