Living in Kennewick, WA offers a blend of natural beauty, thriving local culture, and a welcoming community. Located in the heart of Washington’s Tri-Cities region, Kennewick is known for its sunny climate, outdoor recreation opportunities, and vibrant arts scene. The city’s Columbia Park is a centerpiece of local life, offering scenic views of the Columbia River, walking trails, and a variety of festivals and events throughout the year.
Kennewick’s dining scene is diverse and growing, with a range of options from local farm-to-table eateries to international cuisine. The city’s historic downtown area features a mix of shops, restaurants, and galleries, creating a lively atmosphere that attracts residents and visitors alike. The annual Art in the Park festival is a highlight, showcasing the work of local artists and artisans.
For outdoor enthusiasts, Kennewick provides plenty of opportunities for recreation. The nearby Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve is a popular destination for hiking and enjoying panoramic views of the Tri-Cities and the surrounding countryside. The city’s parks, including Zintel Canyon Park and Grange Park, offer facilities for sports, picnics, and family outings.
Kennewick is also known for its strong sense of community and family-friendly environment. The city hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including the annual River of Fire Fourth of July celebration and the Benton-Franklin Fair & Rodeo, which bring residents together to celebrate and enjoy the community spirit. The local schools are well-regarded, making Kennewick a popular choice for families.
For those considering a move to Washington State, Kennewick offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural vibrancy, and community warmth. Whether you're drawn by its outdoor activities, cultural events, or welcoming atmosphere, living in Kennewick, WA provides a fulfilling and dynamic lifestyle.
Commute
High scores in the commute category could indicate that this area offers short commute times to work and readily available public transportation options.
Cost Of Living
Residents in this area benefit from an affordable cost of living. This includes goods and services, transportation, housing, utilities, groceries and healthcare.
Housing
The housing category in this area boasts higher than average scores, likely influenced by a positive home affordability ratio, robust appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
Earning a high health and safety score depends on factors such as good air quality and the availability of essential health facilities like hospitals, clinics, doctors, and fire stations.
Ratings
Local residents have positive feedback regarding the convenience of amenities, parks, public transit, the friendliness of neighbors, the strong sense of community, and the overall safety of the area.
Crime
High crime rates per 100,000 people are reported in this area, potentially indicating that it is an unsafe place to live. These statistics consider both violent and property offenses.
Located in the state of Washington, Kennewick is a medium-sized city with a population of 82,633 inhabitants. If we look at the most recent Census, Kennewick is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are Black and Asian. Additionally, more than a quarter of the population of Kennewick are of Hispanic or Latino origin, and 21% of the population also speak Spanish. If you're not a fan of traffic congestion and long commute times to work, Kennewick is the place to be. Commutes to work here are shorter, with an average one-way commute time taking only 21 minutes, significantly lower than the national average of 26 minutes.
Are you trying to ascertain if living in Kennewick is the right fit for your lifestyle? To ensure a great experience before relocating to any new city in Washington, you will probably want to make sure that you check all of the most important boxes. Several key factors deserve attention. For one, safety is paramount, ensuring that your new area is low in crime is key. Proximity to workplaces or schools minimizes commute times and fosters convenience. Access to essential amenities like parks, grocery stores, food, fitness, shops and healthcare facilities enhances daily life. Efficient public transportation options provide mobility and connectivity. The sense of community creates a welcoming and supportive environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere, encompassing the vibe, aesthetics, and lifestyle offerings, contributes to a fulfilling living experience. Considering these elements helps identify the ideal neighborhood for your needs and preferences. Finding the best places to live in Kennewick and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes commute, health & safety, employment and other important metrics.
The livability score in Kennewick is 79 out of 100 and the city is ranked in the 95th percentile of all cities across America. Clearly, Kennewick is doing something right, as this score ranks well above the average of most cities. Another exciting tidbit, is that Kennewick ranks better than 90% of all US cities! For each of the livability categories, we can establish that Kennewick ranks very well for cost of living (A) and housing (A+). There are some categories that Kennewick scores poorly for, including: crime (D). It might be worth taking a closer look to find out why.
A robust real estate market serves as a crucial economic indicator, reflecting the local area's strength, stability and the confidence of its residents. Kennewick excels in the housing sector, scoring high marks based on factors such as median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability. These calculations suggest that the apartment rental and real estate market in the region is exceptionally healthy, highlighting the area's economic vitality and attractiveness to potential homebuyers and renters.
Assuming that Kennewick meets all of your requirements like low crime rates, good schools and great local amenities, the next most important item to examine is the affordability of real estate in Kennewick. Everything else becomes a lot less important if it turns out that home prices in Kennewick are simply unattainable. Median real estate prices in Kennewick come in at $239,200, which is 11.2% lower than the Washington average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Kennewick, the home price to income ratio is 3.8, which is 11.6% lower than the Washington average.
| Statistic | Kennewick | Washington | National |
| Average one way commute | 21min | 27min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 80.6% | 72.3% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 11.0% | 10.2% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 1.3% | 6.2% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.2% | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 1.0% | 3.6% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 4.8% | 5.6% | 4.6% |
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