Is West Richland, WA a Good Place to Live?
West Richland is a small city of 16,547 in Washington, with a median household income of $118,093 and a 3.9% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 106 (US average = 100), which is 6% above the national average.
Strengths: West Richland stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether West Richland is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All West 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: 106.2West Richland's overall cost of living index is 106.2, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in West Richland costs roughly 6% more than the average American city.
| Metric | West Richland, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $372,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,393 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 85.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $118,093 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeWest Richland's violent crime rate is 145.8 per 100,000 residents — 62% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
West 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 | West 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 | 39.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.5% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
West 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.
| Metric | West Richland, WA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 40.6°F |
| Average High — July | 89.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 8.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.0" |
Demographics
| Metric | West Richland, WA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,547 | — |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 24.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 1.5% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 33.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 11.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in West Richland
West Richland, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: