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

All states·Washington·Richland

Benton County · Kennewick-Richland · population 64,372

Richland, WA
Image: Wikipedia · Richland, Washington
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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66
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Richland stands

At or near all-time high.

Median home $469,874
1-year +0.3%
5-yr CAGR +4.4%
vs 5-yr peak -0.1%
Population +1.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-03$470k$223k$312k$400k$489k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
30/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
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
$1,710/mo$1,316$1,595$1,874202220242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent124122100120202220242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 22.9
Lean rent

At a 22.9 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Richland. 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
52 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
62 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
73 · w16%
Rent YoY
49 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
74 · w10%
Long thesis

Richland has held up across the cycle: home values at $469,874 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

Richland'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 Richland

Richland is a city in Benton County, Washington, with an estimated population of 64,372. It anchors the Kennewick-Richland metro area. The population grew 1.5% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in Richland is $469,874 as of 2026-04, up 0.3% 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 Richland average $1,710 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+0.5%). The composite momentum score is 66 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Net positive migration: population up 1.5% per year — demand fundamentals are intact.
●Held the highs: currently -0.1% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

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

About Richland (Wikipedia)

Richland is a city in Benton County, Washington, United States. It is located in southeastern Washington at the confluence of the Yakima and the Columbia Rivers. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 60,560. Along with the nearby cities of Pasco and Kennewick, Richland forms the Tri-Cities metropolitan area.

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

City facts

MayorTheresa Richardson
Area42.62 sq mi
Elevation404 ft
IncorporatedApril 28, 1910
Density1,345.5/sq mi

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

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 Richland

Bellingham, WA66 · RisingPasco, WA67 · RisingMarysville, WA69 · RisingKennewick, WA67 · Rising

Run the numbers for Richland

ToolCan I afford Richland?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Richland rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Richland to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolRichland 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 Richland 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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