Median Income
$70,429
household / year
Median Home Value
$318,400
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,113
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Kennewick, WA a Good Place to Live?

Kennewick is a mid-sized city of 83,823 in Washington, with a median household income of $70,429 and a 4.5% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Kennewick stands out for short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Kennewick is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Kennewick city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 103.6

Kennewick's overall cost of living index is 103.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Kennewick costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Kennewick, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $318,400 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,113 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 62.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $70,429 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Kennewick's violent crime rate is 367.0 per 100,000 residents — 3% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
367.0 /100k
Property Crime
3461.0 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Kennewick is served primarily by Kennewick School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Kennewick, WA National Avg
School District Kennewick School District —
Elementary Schools 17 —
Middle Schools 5 —
High Schools 9 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 18.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 26.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 87.4% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Kennewick sees average highs of 41.7°F in January and 91.3°F in July, with 8.9 inches of annual precipitation and 2.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricKennewick, WA
Average High — January41.7°F
Average High — July91.3°F
Annual Precipitation8.9"
Annual Snowfall2.0"

Demographics

MetricKennewick, WANational Avg
Population83,823—
Median Age35.238.9
Unemployment Rate4.5%3.7%
Avg Commute Time21.2 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)72.3%59.3%
Black or African American2.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino19.3%18.9%
Asian2.4%6.3%
Under 1825.7%22.2%
65 and over15.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

West Pasco, WA 4 mi Pasco, WA 4 mi Finley, WA 7 mi Richland, WA 8 mi Burbank, WA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Kennewick

Kennewick, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

99336 99338

Kennewick vs Other Cities

Kennewick, WA vs West Pasco, WA Kennewick, WA vs Pasco, WA Kennewick, WA vs Finley, WA Kennewick, WA vs Richland, WA Kennewick, WA vs Burbank, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Kennewick's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Kennewick roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $318,400 and median rent is $1,113/month.
Kennewick's violent crime rate is 367.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 3461.0 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Kennewick are operated by Kennewick School District. The district has 17 elementary, 5 middle, and 9 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18.0:1. 26.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Kennewick, WA has a population of 83,823, a median household income of $70,429, and an unemployment rate of 4.5%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Kennewick averages 41.7°F in January and 91.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 8.9 inches with about 2.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Kennewick, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 99336, 99338.
The population of Kennewick, Washington is 83,823 with a median age of 35.2. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Kennewick: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $318,400, median household income $70,429, crime index 124 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Kennewick side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.