Median Income
$89,283
household / year
Median Home Value
$365,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,321
gross / month
Cost of Living
106
national avg = 100

Is Richland, WA a Good Place to Live?

Richland is a mid-sized city of 60,867 in Washington, with a median household income of $89,283 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.

Strengths: Richland stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

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

All Richland 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: 105.7

Richland's overall cost of living index is 105.7, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Richland costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.

Metric Richland, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $365,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,321 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 64.6% 65.9%
Median Household Income $89,283 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Richland's violent crime rate is 250.2 per 100,000 residents — 34% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
250.2 /100k
Property Crime
1940.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Richland is served primarily by Richland School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.8:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Richland, WA National Avg
School District Richland School District —
Elementary Schools 11 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 19.8:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 45.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 96.0% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Richland sees average highs of 40.6°F in January and 89.3°F in July, with 8.6 inches of annual precipitation and 2.0 inches of snow per year.

MetricRichland, WA
Average High — January40.6°F
Average High — July89.3°F
Annual Precipitation8.6"
Annual Snowfall2.0"

Demographics

MetricRichland, WANational Avg
Population60,867—
Median Age36.638.9
Unemployment Rate5.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time20.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)80.5%59.3%
Black or African American1.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.4%18.9%
Asian6.1%6.3%
Under 1824.5%22.2%
65 and over16.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

West Richland, WA 5 mi West Pasco, WA 6 mi Kennewick, WA 8 mi Pasco, WA 8 mi Benton City, WA 9 mi

ZIP Codes in Richland

Richland, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

99352 99354

Richland vs Other Cities

Richland, WA vs West Richland, WA Richland, WA vs West Pasco, WA Richland, WA vs Kennewick, WA Richland, WA vs Pasco, WA Richland, WA vs Benton City, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Richland's cost of living index is 106, where 100 is the national average. That puts Richland roughly 6% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $365,800 and median rent is $1,321/month.
Richland's violent crime rate is 250.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1940.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Richland are operated by Richland School District. The district has 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.8:1. 45.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Richland, WA has a population of 60,867, a median household income of $89,283, and an unemployment rate of 5.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Richland averages 40.6°F in January and 89.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 8.6 inches with about 2.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Richland, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 99352, 99354.
The population of Richland, Washington is 60,867 with a median age of 36.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Richland: cost of living index 106 (100 = US average), median home $365,800, median household income $89,283, crime index 76 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Richland side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.