Yakima Industry and Economy

Professional business, education and healthcare services account for 18 percent of the valley’s economy.

Yakima is home to four of the state’s largest privately held companies and nine research and development facilities performing work in the areas of mechanical engineering, microbiology and food chemistry, soil sciences, concrete, masonry and asphalt production, structural steel, compaction and construction material testing, environmental testing, drinking water and agriculture.

A hub of manufacturing innovation, 243 manufacturing companies in Yakima County employ more than 9,000 workers. Yakima valley companies have created and refined everything from sport racks, Baby Joggers and packaged food twist-ties to thermo-forming equipment, controlled atmosphere (CA) storage, and aerospace actuation equipment. Today’s manufacturers produce aerospace products, plastics, metals, woods, industrial machinery, and food products.

New, innovative energy businesses in the valley lead in the development of new bio-fuels and wind power.

The valley’s agricultural traditions drive a thriving food manufacturing and processing industry that accounts for about 40 percent of the manufacturing sector with more than 250 firms employing nearly 10,000 workers.

558,000 acres of private land is used for the valley’s largest industry—agriculture.

Under sunny skies, with an average growing season of 195 days and fertile, mineral-rich volcanic soil, Yakima County is one of the most productive growing regions in the world, ranking 12th among U.S. counties for total agricultural output.

 

New Vision

New Vision, the Yakima County Development Association (YCDA) is a public-private non-profit corporation created to enhance the income and employment stability of the local economy.  The Association encourages business investment that will create jobs and expand the local tax base.

Some things are just timeless, even in an ever evolving marketplace.  The reward of a good value is still worth the search.  Quick and efficient delivery of goods to market remains paramount.  Flexibility and responsiveness are foundational

to business success and lasting relationships.

• Yakima Valley: High Yield Growth
• Bottom-Line Value
• Goods, People Move Quickly, Predictably
• Timely, Flexible, Customized Solutions

With a 150-year agricultural history, multi-generational Yakima Valley farmers harvest the largest variety of crops in Washington, which produces more than 300 crops and packaged or processed foods
More than half of the nation’s apples and sweet cherries come from Washington, led by Yakima. Yakima growers produce more than 75 percent of the nation’s hops, providing 20 percent of the world hop supply (second only to Germany!).

The first pear trees arrived in the Northwest with pioneers on the Lewis and Clark Trail. Today, more than 80 percent of the nation’s pears come from Pacific Northwest, the bulk from Wenatchee and Yakima.

Yakima’s 68 dairies make it the 11th highest dairy producing county in the United States.

 

The Yakima County Development Association helps companies grow their operations in the Yakima Valley.  Contact our office at 509-575-1140 or info@newvision.comfor quick confidential assistance.  We are a one-stop source for all the information and assistance that is available to local businesses from a network of government agencies, chambers of commerce, colleges and universities, and other important non-profit service providers.

Yakima Housing

Yakima County Enjoys

Diverse Affordable Housing Options

The Yakima Valley offers extensive housing options.   Residents can find horse ranches, historic homes, downtown condos, resort communities, and wide ranging neighborhoods to fulfill their unique needs and aspirations.

Yakima County Real Estate Snapshot

Residential Real Estate Web Links

• Coldwell Banker Associated Realtors
• Heritage Moultray
• John L. Scott Real Estate
• Prestige Realty
• Prudential Almon Realty
• Apple Tree Resort Real Estate
• Janet Stroud, Realtor

Rental Property Web Links**

• Yakima Herald-Republic Classified Ads
• Graf Investment Properties
• Daily Sun News Classified Ads – Lower Valley
• Craigslist-Yakima

**Note:  Many of the residential real estate offices listed above also manage rental properties.

About Yakima Washington

Perhaps it’s the four seasons or the nearly 300 days of sun a year that draw nearly 250,000 residents and more than half a million visitors to the Yakima Valley annually. Perhaps it’s the sweet smell of a valley that’s lush with orchards, vineyards and gardens.

Perhaps it’s the diversity and cultural opportunities that create a heritage rich with multi-generational families and new families sharing community-sponsored events and neighborhood-organized barbecues and holiday parties. Maybe it’s the central location—to Seattle, Spokane or Portland—to the mountains, the ocean, rain forests or the Columbia River. Perhaps it’s that feeling of belonging, even when you’ve just arrived, that inspires thousands of new families to call Yakima home every year.

So it was no surprise to us that when The Early Show’s Dave Price toured the country as part of The Great American Adventure Winnebago Tour, he and the CBS morning show team stopped in Yakima where he gushed to viewers nationwide about the agricultural bounty he discovered. At one point, Price even challenged The Early Show anchor Harry Smith to pick any letter of the alphabet and Price would name a fruit or vegetable grown in the Yakima Valley that started with that letter.

Most people think of apples when they speak of the Yakima Valley. The area is home to more than 50 varieties of apples. But few know that the United States produces 24 percent of the world’s hops, and about three-fourths of the U.S. crop comes from the Yakima Valley. And in the past 20 years, Yakima Valley wineries have continued to receive increasing acclaim. The magnificent vineyards of the sun-drenched valley lie in the same latitudes as the great wine-producing regions of France. As a result, Yakima’s hand-crafted award-winning wines have enjoyed an explosion in popularity.

Located at the confluence of the Naches and Yakima Rivers, Yakima serves as the gateway to the Cascade Mountains to the west and the bountiful Yakima Valley to the east. The city of Yakima is the business and commercial hub of Central Washington, serving a populace of about a quarter of a million people. The Yakima Valley boasts of excellent education, culture and, of course, recreation.

Yakima offers so many attractions that you’ll want to plan to stay a while or make multiple trips to see everything. Depending on when you arrive, the city also plays host to a substantial calendar of events throughout the year.

Yakima Maps

Schools, churches, sports and recreation locations in Yakima Washignton.

Yakima Places of Interest

[Schools, churches, sports and recreation locations in Yakima Washignton.

Yakima: Things to do

Outdoors in the Valley

With four seasons of sunny skies and starry nights, Yakima residents make the most of the outdoors.

The valley lies in a rain shadow created by the Cascade Mountains, resulting in just 8 inches of precipitation each year, about half of which is measured from snowfall which averages 20 to 25 inches annually.

Right in the city of Yakima, Cowiche Canyon’s 14 miles of trails on 1,800 pristine acres through stunning canyon landscapes draw outdoor enthusiasts year-round for hiking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and the best mountain biking in central Washington.

Thrill seekers head to the Tieton River for nonstop whitewater action on the fastest-moving, fastest-dropping river in Washington during the annual September Flip-Flop when water released from Rimrock Lake to serve irrigation needs in the Yakima Valley rushes down through the Tieton River and into the Naches river, creating one of the state’s best whitewater runs for kayakers and rafters, with class III to IV rapids.

The 66 trails throughout the William O. Douglas Wilderness are only the beginning. Thanks to grant funding, the William O. Douglas Trail, a 75-mile recreational corridor linking Yakima to Mount Rainier National Park will soon be completed. Celebrating places treasured by Douglas, Supreme Court Justice, the trails final pathway will run adjacent to the historic Yakima Valley Electric Railway Line.

It’s far more than the 109 fishing lakes dotting Yakima County that make this an angler’s paradise. Winding waterways that stretch from the dense forest slopes of the East Cascades through rugged hillsides promise the lure of Coho salmon, steelhead, brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout and whitefish. Designated as the state’s only “blue ribbon” trout stream, the Yakima River delivers more than 65 miles of some or the state’s best fly fishing and unbeatable scenery.

Travel just 30 minutes from Yakima to reach two of the state’s most stunning scenic byways—White Pass and Chinook Pass.

Nordic and Alpine skiers and snowboarders head to White Pass Ski Area for the 1,500-foot vertical drop and more than 350 inches of annual snowfall. With more than 30 downhill trails, a terrain park and an 18-kilometer network of marked, groomed trails for cross-country skiing, White Pass serves hard-core, beginners and families.

Climbers travel from throughout the region to challenge themselves in the Tieton River Canyon—one of the state’s best rock climbing destinations. Most of the nearly 400 routes are near vertical to vertical, with some overhanging climbing.

More than 30 city and community parks in the city of Yakima and neighboring communities offer play spaces for kids and grownups, whether skateboarding, tennis, basketball, soccer or baseball is the activity of choice.

Volunteers at the Yakima Area Arboretum create a living museum of plants and trees, both exotic and those native to Central Washington’s semiarid climate, caring for more than 2,000 specimens on 46 acres of land  adjoining the Yakima River’s riparian habitat.

The Yakima Greenway stretches from Selah Gap to Union Gap and west along the Naches river, providing more than ten miles of paved pathways connecting parks, river access landings, nature trails, fishing lakes and protected natural areas.

The Yakima River Canyon’s dramatic basalt cliffs shelter the densest concentration of nesting hawks, eagles and falcons in Washington State. Nearby wilderness areas host Rocky Mountain elk, bighorn sheep, deer, small mammals, birds of prey, songbirds, blue herons, osprey, wood ducks, grouse, reptiles and amphibians. Each winter, two feeding stations in the Naches area take visitors up close for spectacular viewing of elk and bighorn sheep interacting in their natural habitat.

Nearby Mount Rainier National Park creates a spectacular backdrop for the Yakima Valley. With an elevation of 13,211 feet, its 26 major glaciers make it the most glaciated peak in the lower 48. Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park houses a collection of rare Native American petroglyphs.

Yakima Arts

Find an unexpected oasis for the arts in the Yakima Valley.

World-class performing arts venues and community theaters bring the arts to life on stage with acclaimed music, dance and theatrical performances, creating the rich cultural experiences you expect to find in larger communities. Celebrate the works of Northwest and international artists at galleries and shops in and around the Yakima Valley showcasing art glass, fine art photography, oil and watercolor paintings, multimedia arts, wood sculptures and vessels, fine prints and native petroglyphs.

The Seasons Performance Hall A beautifully restored 1902 church is transformed into a performance hall with unparalleled natural acoustics. Visitors settle into the pews remaining from the original church to experience an incomparable selection of jazz, classical and world music featuring some of the most thrilling international performers, sampling Northwest wines and enjoying the dramatic, arched, painted ceilings and original stained-glass windows.

The Capitol Theater A grand, cultural icon, with stunning ornamentation and decorative murals, the historic 1920 Capitol Theater is often known as “Yakima’s jewel box.” Destroyed by fire in 1975, the theater was completely rebuilt thanks to community dedication. Artist A.B. Heinsberger came out of retirement to repaint grand murals lost in the fire. The theater hosts more than 150 events each year, featuring touring Broadway musicals, including the traditional Best of Broadway series as well as sassy and irreverent Broadway on the Edge performances, and brings the arts to the valley’s youth.

The Larson Gallery Opening their first exhibition in 1949, Yakima’s Larson Gallery is the largest and oldest continuously operated noncommercial gallery in Central Washington. Promoting visual arts throughout the community, they host juried art exhibits such as the Central Washington Artists Exhibit and the Biennial National Photography Exhibit. They also bring rotating exhibits to the valley, celebrating Northwest culture, local heritage and world culture.
Mighty Tieton Begun with the transformation of 1940s apple warehouses into artists lofts, Mighty Tieton is a haven for the arts and fine design, showcasing the work of artisans and hosting arts events, including Artist Trust film festivals and exhibitions.

Community Arts
Public arts installations and a host of music festivals throughout the valley reflect the community’s long-standing dedication to the arts. From outdoor sculptures to jazz festivals, experience the valley celebrates the arts throughout the year.

The Millennium Arts Plaza Commissioned in 1999 as part of the nationwide “Artists and Communities: Americans Create for the Millennium” project, a one-of-a-kind, 80- by 80-foot sculpture by renowned artist, Wen-ti Tsen, reflects the history of the valley and dreams for the future.

The Toppenish Mural Project The city of Toppenish takes visitors back in time “where the west still lives,” with an extensive series of outdoor murals unlike any other. The mural project, reflecting the history and cultural diversity of the area, has earned several awards, including the Governors Art Award and a national Prettiest Painted Places award.

Yakima Valley Wine

In the same latitude as the great wine-producing regions of France, Yakima Valley wine country has become a prime destination for winemakers from throughout the world who come to craft widely acclaimed wines, earning consistently high scores from the major wine media.

With more than 650 wineries in the state, 100 of them are located in the valley’s four distinct appellations: Yakima Valley, Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills and Snipes Mountain.

In keeping with Washington wine country’s entrepreneurial spirit and down-to-earth character, you’re as likely winemakers or winery owners themselves serving, educating and entertaining visitors in local tasting rooms.

Yakima valley residents share their excitement for wine country with three annual celebrations and special wine country events throughout the year.

Yakima Higher Education

Available Throughout the Region

With over 18,000 students enrolled in higher education in area colleges and vocational-technical schools, Yakima County offers a complete range of post K-12 educational resources.  The region enjoys a major community college, a private university, satellite campuses for two state universities, a new medical university, and a nationally recognized private technical institute.

Perry Technical Institute
Perry Technical Institute is a private, non-profit technical school offering nine certificated training programs.  Founded in 1939, the school has continued to grow, adapting its programs to meet the changing needs of the workplace.  Perry Technical Institute’s mission is to provide industry with well-trained employees and to offer students of all ages and walks of life opportunities to train for meaningful careers. Perry’s training programs are approved by the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board and accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.  Perry Technical Institute has been recognized nationally for its state-of-the-art technical programs ranging from instrumentation to HVAC and informational technology, to medical office administration.

Courtesy: http://liveyakimavalley.com

Yakima Commute Times

[Living in Yakima makes it an easy matter to get just about anywhere.

Commute times average 19 minutes and rush hour means waiting through an extra red light.

The valley’s central location puts you within an easy drive of just about any Northwest destination. Travel 145 miles northwest to Seattle, 201 miles northeast to Spokane and 185 miles southwest to Portland, Oregon.

Short, 30-minute flights take you from Yakima to international airports in Seattle and Portland, connecting you to the world.

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