Chelan ( shə-LAN) is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The estimated population was 4,222 at the 2020 census. It lies on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River. Chelan is part of the Wenatchee−East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Chelan ranks

All →

#1Highest graduation rate in WA #11Shortest commute in WA #25Most new homes in WA All WA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code98816

Area code509

Living in Chelan

Housing in Chelan

$496K▼ 8.2% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Chelan home is worth about $496,000, down 8.2% in a year, 16% below the Washington typical home.

A buyer's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market5

Sale-to-list96.5%

Sold in May7

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Work & commute in Chelan

Full picture →

About one in 3 of Chelan’s working residents works in town. The top destinations are Wenatchee (7%), Seattle (5%) and Manson (3%). Half commute less than 21 miles.

Wenatchee

Seattle

Manson

Bellevue

35%Work in townlive and work in Chelan 21 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 3,526Jobs based herea job hub

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Chelan →

Health in Chelan

Health Grade B

Healthier than 56% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Washington

1better than WA·12worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 13 are too close to call.

Conditions 7▼ 5 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 1▲ 1▼ 5 close Mind 2▼ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

75.1%More adults treating high blood pressureWA 70.7% · better 7.8%More adults with COPDWA 5.1% · worse

Care nearby

Lake Chelan Community HospitalChelan · 1.1 mi · ER · rural critical access

Cvch Chelan ClinicChelan · 1.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Chelan · CMS · HRSAHealth in Chelan →

Natural hazards in Chelan

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 74% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🔥 Wildfire

0Does Chelan flood?no paid flood claims on record 3Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Chelan

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Chelan →

Climate in Chelan

Full climate →

Chelan has chilly winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 23°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

36° / 23°Winter

61° / 38°Spring

84° / 55°Summer

61° / 39°Fall

How much snow does Chelan get?About 21 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 22, with the last in spring around Apr 17.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.2° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Chelan →

Schools in Chelan

All Chelan schools →

School Grade B

The public schools Chelan’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 58% of Washington’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

DistrictLake Chelan School DistrictSchools6

Morgen Owings Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 472 students Chelan Middle SchoolMiddle · Grades 6–8 · 285 students Chelan High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 439 students Chelan School of InnovationHigh · Grades 9–12 · 50 students Lake Chelan PreschoolPrekindergarten · Grades PK · 49 students Roots Community SchoolOther · Grades PK–9 · 87 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within WA. Ratings are from neighbors.