Our Community
Yakima, Washington rests within the lush Yakima Valley, where apples, cherries, and pears earned this community the nickname “The Fruit Bowl of the Nation”. Grains and a wide variety of vegetables also grow in the rich and fertile soil of Yakima. This delightful agricultural community took its name in honor of the Yakima Native American tribe, whose Reservation lies along the south and southeastern edges of town.
While Yakima covers less than 20 square miles, its population of 71,845 ( 2000 Census) makes it the largest city in Yakima County and the ninth largest city in WA. Yakima is also part of a larger metropolitan area that includes approximately 230,000 citizens. Roadways serving the Yakima area include Interstate 82, U.S. Highways 9 and 12, and State Route 24.
Yakima is the seat of Yakima County, where the town is the local center of culture and commerce. The general region helps maintain the economy via more than 250 manufacturing businesses and a highly prosperous wine industry that includes more than 40 local wineries. Major employers in Yakima include Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital, Yakima School District, and DSHS (Department of Social and Health Services).
Yakima’s citizens enjoy an excellent quality of life. The community teems with civic and social clubs and events, while local churches represent a wide variety of denominations. Yakima students have access to excellent schools at the primary and secondary levels, while those seeking higher education have numerous options within a reasonable driving distance. Higher learning facilities within the Yakima Valley region include Central Washington University, City University, Heritage College, Perry Technical Institute, Yakima Valley Community College, and Yakima’s branch of Washington State University.
The Yakima River affords access to a wildlife sanctuary, a ten-mile hiking trail, and excellent opportunities for water play, while the nearby Columbia River provides the ideal setting for boating and windsurfing. Yakima offers more than thirty parks claiming nearly 300 acres of the area’s natural splendor. Affiliated recreational facilities have playground areas, golf courses, tennis courts, and indoor and outdoor swimming pools. Visitors to the area enjoy the Capitol Theater and Seasons Performance Hall, Yakima Area Arboretum, Yakima Indian Painted Rocks, the Yakima Trolley Barn, and exciting sporting events hosted by local teams such as the Mavericks and Yakima Sun Kings.
Located in the heart of WA, Yakima residents enjoy easy access to the rugged mountainous regions of the state, as well as beautiful lakes and Pacific Coast beaches. Yakima is a few short hours away from the Canadian border and 145 miles southeast of Seattle. Yakima, Washington exhibits a mild, dry climate tempered by the lovely Cascade and Rocky Mountains that surround this vibrant city.
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