The Town FilesProsser, Washington
City in Benton County · population 6,062 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $314,000
- Household income
- $76,985
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 90°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 33.1
Prosser is a city of 6,062 people in Benton County, Washington. The median home is worth $314,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 89% of Washington towns, easier by car than 89% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 82% of Washington towns.
How Prosser 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 Prosser is worth $314,000, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.1 times the median household income of $76,985, which is more affordable than 84% of Washington towns. Median rent is $944 a month. 54.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prosser | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $314,000 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $944 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $76,985 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.1× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 54.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Prosser
| People | Prosser | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.8% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 28.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.5% | — |
| Work from home | 8.9% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Prosser
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 26.8°F. About 8.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 47 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 109 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Prosser since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on August 13, 2014 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 13, 2014.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on June 29, 2013.
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 Prosser itself the ACS puts it at 8%.
Public schools in Prosser
6 public schools with 2,460 students, about 16.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prosser High School | 9-12 | 860 | 19.5 |
| Housel Middle School | 6-8 | 559 | 17.5 |
| Keene-Riverview Elementary | PK-2 | 390 | 13.9 |
| Prosser Heights Elementary | 3-5 | 375 | 14.4 |
| Whitstran Elementary | K-5 | 241 | 15.1 |
| Prosser Opportunity Academy | 9-12 | 35 | — |
Towns near Prosser
- Grandview, WA7.2 mi · 10,907 people · home $265,300
- Sunnyside, WA13.5 mi · 16,375 people · home $240,700
- Benton City, WA14.3 mi · 3,479 people · home $355,200
- West Richland, WA19.5 mi · 16,295 people · home $448,300
- Granger, WA22.4 mi · 3,624 people · home $210,200
- Richland, WA23.3 mi · 60,560 people · home $436,700
- Boardman, OR26.0 mi · 3,828 people · home $235,300
- Zillah, WA27.8 mi · 3,179 people · home $334,800
Prosser questions
Is Prosser, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prosser scores better for retirees than 44% of Washington towns and quieter than 16%. 14.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.1).
How much does a house cost in Prosser?
The median owner-occupied home in Prosser is valued at $314,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $76,985, so homes cost about 4.1 times income. Median rent is $944 a month.
What is the weather like in Prosser?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 26.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 8.7 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Prosser get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Prosser since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on August 13, 2014. 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)