Cle Elum ( klee EL-əm) is a city in Kittitas County, Washington, United States. The population was 2,157 at the 2020 census. About 84 miles (135 km) by car from Seattle, Cle Elum is a popular area for camping and outdoor activities. It is also unofficially considered the starting point of Eastern Washington when driving east on I-90 from Seattle, although this is somewhat arbitrary since many consider either the town of Easton, anywhere east of Keechelus Lake, or the wildlife crossing bridge over I-90 to be the starting point. The town takes its name from the Cle Elum River, which meets the Yakima River near here. The Kittitas band of the Yakama tribe lived here and fished the Yakima River.…

Official town website ↗

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

Town numbers

ZIP code98922

Area code509

Living in Cle Elum

Housing in Cle Elum

$609K▲ 1.1% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Cle Elum home is worth about $609,000, up 1.1% in a year, close to the Washington typical home.

Only 4 sales in May 2026, too few for a market read. The typical value is the steadier guide.

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Cle Elum

C⁺

Safety Grade C+

Cle Elum reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 59% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Cle Elum 0.3

Washington 2.9

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Cle Elum 18.4

Washington 20.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Cle Elum

B⁻

Health Grade B−

Healthier than 47% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 67% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Washington

14worse than WA

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 12 are too close to call.

Conditions 9▼ 3 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind 2▼ 1 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

7.8%More adults with COPDWA 5.1% · worse 13.3%More older adults who have lost all their teethWA 9% · worse 14.2%More smokersWA 10.1% · worse

Care nearby

Kittitas Valley Community HospitalEllensburg · 24.2 mi · ER · rural critical access

Chcw - Ellensburg ServicesEllensburg · 24.2 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 Cle Elum · CMS · HRSAHealth in Cle Elum →

Natural hazards in Cle Elum

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 68% of U.S. communities.

🌊 Inland flooding🔥 Wildfire🏚️ Earthquakes

8Does Cle Elum flood?paid flood claims since 1980 2Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Cle Elum

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Cle Elum →

Climate in Cle Elum

Full climate →

Cle Elum has chilly winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 81°, a January night drops to 23°.

37° / 23°Winter

57° / 34°Spring

78° / 50°Summer

59° / 35°Fall

When is the first frost?Around Sep 25, with the last in spring around May 13.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+1.5° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

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

Schools in Cle Elum

All Cle Elum schools →

B⁻

School Grade B-

The public schools Cle Elum’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, trail 53% of Washington’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.

DistrictCle Elum-Roslyn School DistrictSchools1

Swiftwater Alternative High SchoolHigh · Grades 9–12 · 20 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.