Odessa is a town in Lincoln County, Washington, United States. According to the 2020 United States census, the town’s population was 896.
Geography
Odessa lies at 47°20′ N 118°41′ W (47.333° N, 118.683° W) in the southeastern part of Lincoln County, near the border with Adams County. The town occupies a total area of 0.81 square miles (2.10 km²), all of which is land, and sits at an elevation of 1,549 feet (472 m) above sea level. It is located within the Channeled Scablands, a landscape shaped by the Missoula Floods at the end of the last ice age.
History
The area was first settled in 1886 by George Finney. The Great Northern Railway constructed a line through the valley in 1892, prompting the platting of the town in the summer of 1899. A post office has been in operation since 1898. Odessa was officially incorporated on September 25, 1902. The community was largely settled by Volga Germans and was named after the Ukrainian city of Odesa.
Government
Odessa operates under a mayor–council form of government. As of the latest available information, the mayor is William Crossley.
Transportation
State Routes 21 and 28 intersect in Odessa. State Route 21 provides connections to U.S. Route 2 to the north and Interstate 90 to the south, while State Route 28 offers east‑west links to other communities in Lincoln County and to Grant County. Crab Creek runs through the town, and Route 28 roughly follows the creek’s course in the surrounding area.
Climate
The town experiences a cold semi‑arid climate (Köppen BSk). This classification reflects relatively low precipitation, hot summers, and cold winters typical of the interior Pacific Northwest.
Demographics
Historical census data show fluctuating population levels: 885 (1910), 1,050 (1920), 830 (1930), 816 (1940), 1,127 (1950), 1,231 (1960), 1,074 (1970), 1,009 (1980), 935 (1990), 957 (2000), 910 (2010), and 896 (2020). The population density as of 2020 was approximately 1,110 people per square mile (427 people per km²).
Utilities and Services
Odessa’s ZIP codes are 99144 and 99159, and the area code is 509. The town’s Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) code is 53-50745, and its Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) feature ID is 1507143. The municipal website is odessawa.org.