The Town FilesKennewick, Washington
City in Benton County · population 83,921 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $370,700
- Household income
- $73,576
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 35.7
Kennewick is a city of 83,921 people in Benton County, Washington. The median home is worth $370,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more vibrant than 91% of Washington towns, easier by car than 71% of Washington towns.
How Kennewick ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kennewick is worth $370,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $73,576, which is more affordable than 61% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,240 a month. 61.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kennewick | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $370,700 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,240 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $73,576 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 61.3% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.1% | — |
Who lives in Kennewick
| People | Kennewick | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 26.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.3% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.1% | — |
| Work from home | 9.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in Kennewick
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 29.2°F. About 7.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.0 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 48 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 76 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kennewick since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on May 21, 2016 about 0.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 21, 2016.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 2 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on July 20, 2012.
Severe weather in Benton County since 1996
Benton County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4309: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
| August 1, 2016 | Fire | FM-5142: South Ward Gap Fire |
Jobs and pay in Benton County
Benton County had 98,668 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,807 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Kennewick itself the ACS puts it at 5.1%.
Public schools in Kennewick
34 public schools with 18,797 students, about 17.9 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kamiakin High School | 9-12 | 1,950 | 25.7 |
| Kennewick High School | 9-12 | 1,929 | 24.1 |
| Southridge High School | 9-12 | 1,643 | 23.8 |
| Chinook Middle School | 6-8 | 919 | 21.4 |
| Desert Hills Middle School | 6-8 | 897 | 21.9 |
| Horse Heaven Hills Middle School | 6-8 | 850 | 20.2 |
| Amistad Elementary School | PK-5 | 848 | 17.3 |
| Highlands Middle School | 6-8 | 723 | 16.4 |
| Park Middle School | 6-8 | 687 | 18.1 |
| Sage Crest Elementary | K-5 | 649 | 18.0 |
| Fuerza Elementary | PK-5 | 588 | 15.5 |
| Cascade Elementary School | K-5 | 537 | 16.8 |
Towns near Kennewick
- Pasco, WA5.4 mi · 77,108 people · home $376,300
- Finley, WA6.6 mi · 6,152 people · home $382,500
- Richland, WA8.4 mi · 60,560 people · home $436,700
- Burbank, WA9.2 mi · 3,499 people · home $412,900
- West Richland, WA12.9 mi · 16,295 people · home $448,300
- Benton City, WA15.2 mi · 3,479 people · home $355,200
- Umatilla, OR20.7 mi · 7,363 people · home $238,500
- Hermiston, OR25.7 mi · 19,354 people · home $266,700
Kennewick questions
Is Kennewick, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kennewick scores better for retirees than 17% of Washington towns and quieter than 14%. 16.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.7).
How much does a house cost in Kennewick?
The median owner-occupied home in Kennewick is valued at $370,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,576, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,240 a month.
What is the weather like in Kennewick?
July highs average 91.3°F and January lows 29.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 7.9 inches of precipitation a year and 2.0 inches of snow.
Does Kennewick get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kennewick since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on May 21, 2016. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)