RANK #377 / 1001 NAT · #4 / 21 WA · POP 212,905
1YR FORECAST: -0.7%
5YR OUTLOOK: +30%
The Columbia River defines much of Benton County, located in southeastern Washington, offering a distinctive landscape and numerous recreational opportunities. Kennewick, the largest city, forms part of the Tri-Cities metropolitan area, approximately 3.5 hours southeast of Seattle. The community provides a blend of urban amenities and natural scenery, with a semi-arid climate featuring warm summers and mild winters. Residents enjoy extensive outdoor recreation, including hiking trails on Badger Mountain and Candy Mountain, and water sports on the Columbia and Yakima Rivers. The Sacagawea Heritage Trail is a popular paved path connecting the Tri-Cities along the Columbia River.
Life in Benton County offers a family-friendly environment with a focus on community. Commute times are generally shorter than the national average, and public transit, including bus services and on-demand options, connects the main cities and towns. The economy is diverse, driven by agriculture, particularly a growing wine industry, and significant activity in technology and energy production. Major investments in data centers and energy projects contribute to the area's economic picture, attracting a workforce in high-wage sectors like professional, scientific, and technical services.
Benton County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +0.1% YoY, population +1.3%, wages +4.5%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Well below national median
Moderate climate & terrain
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 11.7x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center (Wind, Solar, Battery Storage)
Scout Clean Energy
|
$1,500M | Awaiting Construction |
|
Hop Hill Renewable Power Project (Solar & Battery Storage)
BrightNight
|
$500M | Under Construction |
|
West Richland Data Center Campus
Likely Hyperscaler (unidentified)
|
$500M | Proposed |
|
Plymouth Data Center Campus
Likely Hyperscaler (unidentified)
|
$500M | Proposed |
|
Wautoma Solar Project (Solar & Battery Storage)
Innergex Renewable Development
|
$400M | Approved |
|
Wallula Gap Solar (Solar & Battery Storage)
Wallula Gap Solar, LLC
|
$60M | Proposed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 62/100, Benton County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +1.3%, and median household income stands at $89,874 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in WA.
Benton County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $407,800 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.22 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,306/month on average.
Benton County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +1.3% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.3% clip. Home values shifted +0.1% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.85% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Benton County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.