Kennewick, WA — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Washington·Kennewick

Benton County · Kennewick-Richland · population 86,728

Kennewick, WA
Image: Wikipedia · Kennewick, Washington
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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67
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Kennewick stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $433,399
1-year +0.2%
5-yr CAGR +4.4%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.8%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$433k$193k$279k$365k$451k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
40/100
Car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
30/100
Minimal transit
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
92/100
Excellent for remote work
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,598/mo$1,118$1,406$1,694202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent124134100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 22.6
Lean rent

At a 22.6 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Kennewick. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
51 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
62 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
62 · w16%
Rent YoY
71 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
79 · w10%
Long thesis

Kennewick has held up across the cycle: home values at $433,399 with +4.4% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Kennewick's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Kennewick

Kennewick is a city in Benton County, Washington, with an estimated population of 86,728. It anchors the Kennewick-Richland metro area. The population grew 0.8% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Kennewick is $433,399 as of 2026-04, up 0.2% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.4% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Kennewick average $1,598 per month, up 3.9% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 67 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
○The data is the data: Kennewick has at least 5 years of Zillow tracking, full Census identification, and is included in the 2-criteria momentum score on this page.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Kennewick (Wikipedia)

Kennewick is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. It is located along the southwest bank of the Columbia River, just southeast of the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima rivers and across from the confluence of the Columbia and Snake rivers. It is the most populous of the three cities collectively referred to as the Tri-Cities. The population was 83,921 at the 2020 census, and was estimated at 86,728 in 2024.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

City facts

MayorGretl Crawford
Area29.962 sq mi
Elevation558 ft
IncorporatedFebruary 5, 1904
Densityauto/sq mi

Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.

Things to see in Kennewick(Tourism)

  • Clover Island
  • Ice Harbor Brewing Company
  • Wenatchee World
  • Horse Heaven Hills
  • American Viticultural Area

Extracted from the Wikipedia article. Names linked in the source — open the city’s Wikipedia page for details.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Benton County right now.

NWS active alerts (WA)Washington Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Benton County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Kennewick

Bellingham, WA66 · RisingSpokane Valley, WA63 · RisingRichland, WA66 · RisingPasco, WA67 · Rising

Run the numbers for Kennewick

ToolCan I afford Kennewick?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Kennewick rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Kennewick to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolKennewick cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
45° / 35°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
77° / 56°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
152
~42% of year
Annual precip
38″ rain
10″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Very low
Wildfire
High
Earthquake
Very high
Flood
Moderate

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Kennewick listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Kennewick-Richland area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
75%
Very humid climate
Median household income
$90,400
Washington state median
Top industries (state-level)
Tech (Amazon/MS)Aerospace (Boeing)Agriculture

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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