City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Kennewick, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Kennewick - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

84,389
Residents
$72,867
Median income
$343,600
Median home
$1,538
Median rent (state)

Kennewick - the verdict

Kennewick ranks in the 53rd percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

53rd
percentile, household income
71st
percentile, home value
61st
percentile, median rent
8th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Kennewick, WA

Kennewick is a small city in Washington, home to 84,389 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Kennewick brings in $72,867 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 11.1%. Home values in Kennewick run a median of $343,600, and the median resident age is 35.8 years. Educational attainment runs 26.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 58.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 581 residential building permits were authorized in Kennewick (Building Boom), up 63% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Kennewick's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 3828.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 55.0°F with 7.9 inches of precipitation per year.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Washington at 107.0 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,538 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. The average commute for Kennewick workers runs 19.3 minutes, with 75.6% driving alone and 8.5% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 87.1 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

84,389 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$72,867 /yr

Poverty 11.1%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Kennewick compare to other US cities?

Where Kennewick sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 53% higher than other cities
Home value 71% pricier than other cities
Median rent 61% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Washington alone, Kennewick ranks #132 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Kennewick's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

53rdIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

53rd percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Kennewick's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Kennewick's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Kennewick's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Kennewick's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$343,600 29th percentile more affordable than 29% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Kennewick $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Kennewick, WA Kennewick, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Kennewick, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Kennewick, WA median $72,867/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Kennewick, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Kennewick, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 11.1%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 58.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
84,389
Median Income
$72,867
Median Home Value
$343,600
Median Age
35.8
Poverty Rate
11.1%
Labor force participation
58.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.9%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3828.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
367.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3461.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
55.0°F
Annual Precipitation
7.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
35
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
82,000 residents84,000 residents86,000 residents88,000 residents90,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 84,015 residents 88,366 residents ▲ +5.2%
Kennewick's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
581
housing units authorized
Single-Family
335
detached homes
Multifamily
246
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 356
2020 326
2021 280
2022 270
2023 406
2024 581

Permit volume increased 63% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.3 minutes
Drive Alone
75.6%
Carpool
12.3%
Public Transit
1.7%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
8.5%
Other
0.9%

Based on 36,834 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Kennewick sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,538/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Auburn
85,455 people
Pasco
78,446 people
Kirkland
91,614 people
Bellingham
92,367 people
Redmond
75,721 people
Yakima
96,810 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Kennewick's 84,389 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Brooklyn Park, MN
84,349 people
Newport Beach, CA
84,304 people
Baytown, TX
84,538 people
Westland, MI
84,155 people
Farmington Hills, MI
83,316 people
Cicero, IL
83,223 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Kennewick's $72,867 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wrightsboro, NC
$72,867 median income
Iowa, LA
$72,868 median income
Freeport, MI
$72,868 median income
St. George, UT
$72,870 median income
Chadwicks, NY
$72,861 median income
Smithville, NJ
$72,875 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Kennewick, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Kennewick, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 67.2% 13.5% 14.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 31.8% White 67.2% Black or African American 2.3% Asian 1.9% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 13.5% Two or more races 14.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Kennewick compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Kennewick (this city) 84,389 $72,867
Auburn 85,455 $95,367
Pasco 78,446 $81,130
Kirkland 91,614 $143,533
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Kennewick, WA?

What is the population of Kennewick, WA? +

Kennewick, WA has a population of 84,389 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Kennewick, WA? +

The median household income in Kennewick is $72,867 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Kennewick? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Kennewick; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Kennewick, WA safe? +

Kennewick has a total crime rate of 3828.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Kennewick, WA? +

Homes in Kennewick carry a median value of $343,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Kennewick? +

Kennewick has an average annual temperature of 55.0°F, 7.9 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.