Median Income
$75,316
household / year
Median Home Value
$309,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,150
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Pasco, WA a Good Place to Live?

Pasco is a mid-sized city of 77,274 in Washington, with a median household income of $75,316 and a 5.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Pasco stands out for lower-than-average crime, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Pasco is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Pasco 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: 103.7

Pasco's overall cost of living index is 103.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Pasco costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Pasco, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $309,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,150 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 68.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $75,316 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Pasco's violent crime rate is 347.6 per 100,000 residents — 9% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
347.6 /100k
Property Crime
2195.7 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Pasco is served primarily by Pasco School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Pasco, WA National Avg
School District Pasco School District —
Elementary Schools 19 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 6 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.4:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.6% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 75.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Pasco sees average highs of 41.4°F in January and 92.5°F in July, with 7.6 inches of annual precipitation and 2.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricPasco, WA
Average High — January41.4°F
Average High — July92.5°F
Annual Precipitation7.6"
Annual Snowfall2.0"

Demographics

MetricPasco, WANational Avg
Population77,274—
Median Age30.138.9
Unemployment Rate5.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)54.7%59.3%
Black or African American2.4%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino34.2%18.9%
Asian2.1%6.3%
Under 1832.5%22.2%
65 and over9.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

West Pasco, WA 3 mi Kennewick, WA 4 mi Finley, WA 7 mi Burbank, WA 8 mi Richland, WA 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Pasco

Pasco, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code:

99301

Pasco vs Other Cities

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Pasco's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Pasco roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $309,200 and median rent is $1,150/month.
Pasco's violent crime rate is 347.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2195.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Pasco are operated by Pasco School District. The district has 19 elementary, 4 middle, and 6 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.4:1. 19.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Pasco, WA has a population of 77,274, a median household income of $75,316, and an unemployment rate of 5.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Pasco averages 41.4°F in January and 92.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 7.6 inches with about 2.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Pasco, WA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 99301.
The population of Pasco, Washington is 77,274 with a median age of 30.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Pasco: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $309,200, median household income $75,316, crime index 97 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Pasco side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.