Yakima is the county seat of Yakima County, in south-central Washington, situated along the Yakima River in a broad valley between the Cascade Range to the west and the Columbia Plateau to the east. With nearly 97,000 residents at the 2020 census and a metropolitan population of about 256,000, it is the eleventh-largest city in the state and the commercial, healthcare, and cultural hub of the surrounding region. Agriculture is the defining feature of the Yakima Valley. Irrigation transformed the area into one of the most productive farming regions in the country: Yakima County is a leading producer of apples, hops, cherries, pears, mint, and wine grapes, and the valley alone grows roughly three-quarters of the hops produced in the United States. That agricultural base supports a large processing, packing, and distribution economy and has given rise to a substantial wine industry across the Yakima Valley AVA. The city's geography shapes its character. The 1st Avenue and railroad corridor roughly divides older, denser, historically working-class neighborhoods on the east side from newer, larger-lot suburban development on the west side around West Valley and Summitview. This divide produces a housing market with wide variety in home age, lot size, and neighborhood feel. Yakima's central location is a practical advantage. Interstate 82 and U.S. Route 12 meet at the city, connecting it to Seattle to the west, the Tri-Cities and Spokane to the east, and Oregon to the south. The Yakima Air Terminal offers regional flights, and Yakima Transit provides local bus service, including a commuter link toward Ellensburg. Outdoor recreation is abundant, from the Yakima Greenway and the 46-acre Yakima Arboretum to the Cascade passes and nearby wineries. The city is home to Yakima Valley College and Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, and it is served by multiple school districts. Yakima appeals to agricultural, healthcare, and education workers and to families seeking a mid-sized, four-season city with strong outdoor access and a pace well removed from Washington's Puget Sound metros.