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Moving to Tri-Cities, WA? Here’s 7 Things You Need to Know
(Last updated: May 7, 2026)
Maybe you have family or friends here. Maybe it’s the wineries. The boat races. The river recreation. The Manhattan Project history. I could go on and on because there are myriad reasons you’re visiting the Tri-Cities.
What if those are also the reasons you stay? If you’re thinking about moving here, you might be wondering
- if you’re gonna need an umbrella most days because your new address will have “WA” in it. (You won’t!)
- if there’s anything to do in the Tri-Cities. (There is!)
- if you should buy a home in Kennewick, Pasco, or Richland. Or maybe even West Richland! (Yes, what we locals consider the Tri-Cities has more than three cities. More on that in a moment.)
Hi, I’m Cari McGee. I’ve been in your shoes. My husband and I moved to Kennewick in 1994 (from out of state) and had a ton of questions! Four years later, we bought a house and moved to West Richland. (Yep, that’s part of the Tri-Cities, too.) And then, six years after that, I became a licensed Realtor®. Since then, I’ve sold more than 650 homes in practically every neighborhood across the Tri-Cities.
That’s my way of saying you’re in good hands with this article. 🥰 If you have any questions while you’re reading, get in touch anytime or join our Facebook group, Moving to Tri-Cities, WA or our Tri-Cities Real Estate community on Reddit. These are spaces that we created to help you get answers to any and all questions you have about this area.
7 Things to Know About Relocating to the Tri-Cities
We love to help folks learn more about this great part of Washington state. One of the most surprising things people discover is…
1) We have more than three cities.
Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland are technically the “Tri-Cities.” They’re all joined together at the confluence of the Yakima, Snake, and Columbia rivers. But when we talk about the Tri-Cities, we locals could also be talking about
- West Richland — which is, of course, west of Richland
- Benton City — southwest of West Richland
- Burbank — east of Pasco
- Finley — the least-populated of the “suburbs” and located east of Kennewick
Here’s what it looks like on a great map that was originally created by a Wikipedia user:
Benton City looks like it’s a bit disconnected from the rest of the “Tri-Cities,” but West Richland is growing very quickly and spreading to the west. Most of the newest residential developments are on the west side of West Richland, and there are already a bunch of homes and wineries on Hwy. 224 between Benton City and West Richland.
2) We’re growing.
The Tri-Cities has been the fastest-growing area in the state this decade. Since 2020, our population has grown by 6.8%. As of July 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates our total population to be 324,334 people. Here’s how that breaks down:
- Benton County: 221,722 estimated population as of July 1, 2025 (7.2% growth since 2020)
- Franklin County: 102,612 estimated population as of July 1, 2025 (6.1% growth since 2020)
The state’s Office of Financial Management recently published its 2025 population estimates, showing Kennewick as the most populous city in the area (87,790 residents), followed by Pasco (82,990) and Richland (64,930). But you see the growth no matter where you drive around town — builders are working on new homes and new hotels and businesses are going up.
3) Weather? No, it doesn’t rain constantly like you think it does in Seattle.
When you live in the Tri-Cities, you get used to having conversations like this when you meet a stranger:
Other person: Where are you from?
You: Tri-Cities, Washington! About 3 hours southeast of Seattle.
Other person: (frowns) Oh. You must be used to rain.
No! We only get about 8-10 inches of rain per year. But everyone lumps us in with Seattle and its 38-40 inches of rain per year. No thanks. The Tri-Cities has really wonderful weather. We get all four seasons here. It may snow in the winter (we average about four inches of snow per year), and temperatures sometimes dip down to the teens or even single digits. Meanwhile, it’s not unusual to have a few weeks with temperatures above 100 in the summer. Spring and Fall are absolutely magical.
The worst thing I can say about the Tri-Cities weather is that it can be windy here. In the spring and fall, it’s not unusual to have 4-5 days with gusts of 40-50 mph, which forces my husband to batten down the furniture on our back patio. Even when the gusts aren’t that bad, we’ll have days with regular wind speeds that hit 20-25 mph. It can definitely be annoying. (It can also be funny when Facebook fills up with photos of tumbleweeds rolling down streets across the Tri-Cities! Yes — that’s the 8th thing you need to know: We have real tumbleweeds here! 😅)
4) We have all kinds of outdoor activities throughout all four seasons.
No matter what time of year it is, the Tri-Cities will have something to offer if you’re into outdoor sports and activities.
We have more than 30 walking/hiking/running trails, ranging from riverside to mountaintop. The Sacagawea Heritage Trail is popular with bicyclists and walkers/runners. It’s a scenic 23-mile loop that touches Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland on both sides of the Columbia River. Badger Mountain is a popular spot that you can hike/climb year-round as long as there’s no snow on the ground. (Well, I wouldn’t hike it with snow on the ground, but other people do.) Biking and running are also super-popular here — there are a lot of races all year long if you’re competitive, or you can just use some of the same paths and trails that the runners do.
We have 10 terrific golf courses that will challenge golfers of any skill level, including a couple that used to host pro and high-level college tournaments. High school sports are really popular in the Tri-Cities — our teams often play for and win state titles! We also have a junior hockey team — the Tri-City Americans — and a minor league baseball team, the Tri-City Dust Devils. If you’re into sports and the outdoors, you’ll love it here!
Our biggest event all year long is the Tri-Cities Water Follies and Air Show — a three-day event that draws people from all over the country on the last weekend of July. It features thrilling hydroplane boat races on the Columbia River, incredible jets and historic planes flying overhead, plus all kinds of food and fun stuff for people of all ages.
Another big outdoor event just launched in 2024 and is already winning raves for the Tri-Cities: Ironman 70.3! After just two years, our course was named Best Run Course in the world in the Ironman Athletes’ Choice Awards! We also took No. 3 in Best Swim Course, and No. 3 for Best Overall Course.
According to the Trust for Public Land, all four of our biggest cities have more residents living within walking distance of a park than the typical U.S. city. Richland leads the way with 80% of residents within a 10-minute walk (about a half-mile) of a park. The median U.S. city has only 55% of its residents living that close to a park.
5) We’re the wine capital of the Pacific Northwest.
The experts say that the weather and soil here are similar to the Bordeaux region of France. Pretty cool, huh? That probably explains why we have more than 200 wineries within a 1-hour drive — many of which have won international wine awards. Heck, even CNN has noticed our status as the hub for wine lovers in this part of the country.
This wine scene makes up a big part of the local economy. The local tourism board is always running ads across the state and even further afield to promote wine tourism. We have companies that offer winery tours via car and/or limousine, and we even have wine cruises along the river that are a perfect evening out for you and a loved one, or you and a group of friends. Many years ago, my brothers and I took our mom out on a limo-guided wine tour for her 80th birthday, and it was wonderful!
6) We have a great arts scene.
The community arts scene is alive and well in the Tri-Cities. We have great groups and organizations like the Mid-Columbia Symphony, Mid-Columbia Mastersingers and Mid-Columbia Ballet. One of our biggest events of the year is Art In The Park, which fills Howard Amon Park in Richland on the same weekend as the Water Follies.
If you love theater, we have regular productions and events at the Richland Players theatre, and there’s an outdoor theater — the HAPO Community Stage — not far away also in Richland. Our local high schools put on award-winning productions every year — we sponsored the Hanford High School drama department while our youngest child was involved with their productions, and more recently sponsored the Kamiakin High School Performing Arts program. And even younger thespians can get started at the Academy of Children’s Theatre.
More of a music lover? Not to worry. We have several music festivals in warm weather months. Probably the most well-known is the Tumbleweed Music Festival, a free acoustic music event over Labor Day weekend at Howard Amon Park in Richland. Live at 5 is a free, weekly concert series that fills Richland’s John Dam Plaza with music, food trucks, and fun for the kids. The Clover Island Concert Series in Kennewick promises a good time and beautiful, riverfront views. And you’ll often find local and regional bands performing at Emerald of Siam and Ray’s Golden Lion, both of which are in Richland. The Toyota Center, our biggest arena, occasionally books national music artists, but you’ll probably have to drive to Spokane, Seattle, or Portland to see big name shows.
7) We have a great food scene, too.
This is a true story: ~25 years ago, it was a huge deal when Outback Steakhouse and Olive Garden opened restaurants here. Like, people lined up around the block to get in. Not just on opening day, but for weeks! Nothing against those restaurants — we’ve eaten there plenty of times! — but overall, the food options in Tri-Cities were pretty dire back then. 😬
Today, it’s a different story! Yes, the lines were long when the first Chick-Fil-A finally opened — but today, we have tons of great, locally-owned restaurants offering Italian, Mexican, Indian, Asian, and all kinds of great food. We have a Brazilian steakhouse, great sushi restaurants, incredible brewpubs, and wonderful bakeries. Guy Fieri came for a visit during the winter of 2018-19, and six of our great local restaurants were featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” in 2019. (Sadly, several of the six didn’t survive the COVID pandemic. 😢)
Our food truck scene has really taken off in the past few years. Local food truck insiders estimate that we have close to 300 food trucks in operation around the area. There are several food truck hubs popping up across the Tri-Cities offering some of the best food in town:
- Summer’s Hub of Kennewick
- Summer’s Hub of Pasco
- Columbia Gardens in Kennewick
- Bella’s Food Trucks in Kennewick
- Ace-Griggs food truck hub in Richland
- Argyle Sun Spot Food Pavilion in Kennewick
If you like to cook, or prefer to eat fresh food at home, we also have excellent farmer’s markets that run through most of spring, summer, and fall. Fresh fruits, vegetables, gourmet spices and so much more — all sourced from local farms.
And all of this adds up to give any foodie plenty of things to love about the Tri-Cities!
Where to Live in the Tri-Cities
If you don’t have a preference for where to live, start with this map-based home search. But if you have a good idea of where you want to be, here are links to see all the homes for sale in each city:
The listings at each of those links are updated every 15 minutes, so you can be sure you’re seeing very current homes for sale.
Is the Tri-Cities expensive?
Overall, the Tri-Cities cost of living is relatively affordable. Our composite cost of living index is a 95.9, compared to the national average of 100. That means it’s about 4% more affordable to live here than the average costs in the rest of the U.S.
Homes in the Tri-Cities are much more affordable than our big-city neighbors to the west. Over the years, and especially recently, I’ve regularly helped Seattleites and Portlanders find homes here that are every bit as beautiful as the ones they were living in, but cost far less than what they would have paid over there. For the latest info on median home prices and other local data, see the recent articles on my blog in the Tri-Cities Housing Market category. We also have specific info for the main cities at these links:
Let me warn you about what you might see if you’re browsing homes on Zillow. The Zestimates for Tri-Cities homes are really bad, like much worse than they are in Seattle, Portland, and across the country.
In 2019, we spent six months studying the accuracy of Tri-Cities Zestimates — comparing them to the actual sales price of more than 500 homes. If you’re looking at the Zestimate of a Tri-Cities home, you can assume that it’s too high by almost 6%. So, if you see a home with a $400,000 Zestimate, the home’s actual value is probably closer to $375,000. And get this: Across the Tri-Cities, about 16 percent of Zestimates were at least $50,000 wrong. Yikes!
What is it Like to Live in the Tri-Cities?
For two straight years, Kennewick has been named one of the Top 100 Places to Live in the entire U.S.! In June 2025, Travel & Leisure named West Richland one of the best small towns in the U.S. Around the same time, Forbes named Pasco one of the best places to retire in the country. Whenever I see honors like those, I feel like they’re talking about the entire Tri-Cities.
The Tri-Cities is big enough that you can enjoy many big-city luxuries. I mentioned the art scene above and all the great restaurants that have opened in the past 15-20 years. But we’re also small enough that it won’t be unusual for you to see cows, horses, or other animals grazing in yards on the outskirts of each town. There’s really a great mix of small-town and mid-sized cities. We don’t have an Apple Store or a Trader Joe’s — those are two of the stores that locals are always clamoring to get. Maybe someday! And if you’re expecting a nightlife/club scene like you enjoyed in Seattle or another big city, you’ll be disappointed.
A lot of Tri-Cities life surrounds the rivers. The Yakima and Columbia intersect the area and meet up with the Snake just east of Pasco. Some of our best restaurants offer amazing river views while you eat. We have a lot of boat owners here, and the river is busy most of spring, summer, and fall. Pasco has a couple rows of beautiful riverfront homes in the central part of the city, and more are being built on the western edge across from Richland. Kennewick and Richland both have a lot of riverfront parkland, and those are busy year-round with families having fun, or people walking, jogging, biking, playing frisbee golf … you name it.
When it’s time to leave town for vacation or a business trip, you’ll appreciate our airport (PSC is the airport code) with plenty of options to get you wherever you’re going. These airlines serve the Tri-Cities Airport:
- Alaska – flies to/from Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, and Burbank, CA
- American – flies to/from Phoenix
- Delta – flies to/from Seattle, Salt Lake City, and Minneapolis
- United – flies to/from Denver and San Francisco
- Allegiant – flies to/from Las Vegas, Phoenix/Mesa, and Orange County, CA
You can drive to Spokane in about two hours, and it takes ~3.5 hours to drive to either Seattle or Portland.
Are the Tri-Cities Safe?
Yes, the Tri-Cities is considered a safe place to live. West Richland has been named one of the safest cities in the whole state more than once, and Kennewick/Pasco/Richland don’t rank too far down those lists. That’s not to say we don’t have crime; of course we do, every place does. But we’re small enough and safe enough that when there is a serious crime, it’s big news.
As a Realtor®, I’m not allowed to answer your questions about types of crimes or crime rates in specific cities or neighborhoods. I suggest you call the non-emergency police phone lines to ask about crime rates and types of crimes in any neighborhood you’re considering.
What About Tri-Cities Schools?
Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland each have their own school districts. The Richland School District also serves the city of West Richland with both elementary and middle schools. Learn more at the links below.
I’m also not allowed to answer specific questions about schools, but you can look up school and district information on GreatSchools.org. You might also want to learn about the recent U.S. News & World Report rankings of the best high schools in the Tri-Cities.
We also have several higher learning options in town, including WSU Tri-Cities (4-year), Heritage University Tri-Cities (4-year), Columbia Basin College (2-year) and Charter College (career training).
Final Thoughts on Moving to the Tri-Cities
We really love living in the Tri-Cities — so much so that my husband and I changed our career advancement plans 25+ years ago and decided to settle here and start a family. We think you’ll love it, too! As you can see by now, there’s a lot to love — great weather, plenty of outdoor activities, great wineries and restaurants, a vibrant arts scene, and so much more. It’s a great place to live, work, and play. But don’t just take my word for it. We surveyed the 8,000+ locals who follow our Facebook page, Everything Tri-Cities, and here’s what they said they love about living in the Tri-Cities.
That said, we know the Tri-Cities isn’t right for everyone. Don’t miss my article on the Pros and Cons of Living in Tri-Cities, WA for more info about the things I love and don’t love about my hometown.
If there’s something I didn’t include in this article, or a question that I didn’t answer, drop me a note anytime — no obligation. You can use the “Text Us” option below, or email me here, or just call or text me directly at 509-430-5342. I’d love to talk to you about the Tri-Cities and make sure you have all the info you need if you’re thinking about moving here. You’re also invited to join our Facebook group, Moving to Tri-Cities, WA or our Tri-Cities Real Estate community on Reddit. These are spaces that we created to help you get answers to any and all questions you have about this area.
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About The Author
Thinking of Richland area. Need room for parking rv,car trailer. And need a shop for 3 or more cars. 3plus bdrm,2bath,ra.bler,single level
HI, Dennis! Thanks for letting us know you’re thinking about moving to the Richland area. We’d love to help! One of the agents on the team will be reaching out to you soon to learn more and help you with your house hunt.
Hi Carri, my situation is a bit different. I’m retired mil. 61 years old.. I have friend with COPD living in Martinsburg WV. I know. Long way from WA. I livre and work in Spokane. I drive the Para Trans bus and love my job. To give him hope, I talk with him about moving to Washington. I have alsways loved Cntral Washington. I will make a road trip this summer to look around. Please keep me in mind. Thanks Ken martin
Hi, Ken! Thanks so much for reaching out. I have your email so I’ll contact you that way and when you’re in town let me know!
What is the cost of living in tri city
Hi, Jane! I dn’t know where you’re writing from, so let me include this Cost of Living Calculator so you can see how it compares to where you live. https://www.bankrate.com/calculators/savings/moving-cost-of-living-calculator.aspx
Would like information about the area.
Great, Edward! I’ll email you now.
Hi Cari, I just got approved for a job transfer to PSC Airport. Potential move in is first week of December 2021.Just sold my house here in Las Vegas but will probably rent for a few months (until the market cools down). I would like your advise/opinion on best rental places in the Tri Cities, preferably no more than half hour away from PSC Airport.
Thank you
Hi there Marlon! So exciting you got your job approval to move to the area! I have emailed you directly and look forward to helping you with your home search!
Hello, my name is Chanel and my family and I have been wanting to move to the Tri-Cities area for a while now. We live in rural Alaska, delta Junction to be exact and to be honest, the cost of living in Alaska is expensive. Just the cost of heating will run you upwards over $3000/ a winter. The cost of all types of fuel is up as well. We currently pay a mortgage but if we plan to relocate, we’d like to rent for a while. There are a lot of differences between states when it comes to the cost of living and the calculator above doesn’t really give me enough information I’m looking for. I’d appreciate if someone could email me for a little more in depth info. Thank you
Hi, Chanel! I’ll email you here in just a moment.
Hello. Best place to stay when coming to check out the area? Hotels that would put me near everything?
Hi, Bridget! I suggest any of the hotels in the Columbia Point area of Richland. They’re pretty centrally located. There is a Courtyard by Marriott, a TownePlace Suites, also by Marriott, and a hotel called The Lodge at Columbia Point. There are more in the area as well, but I would center a stay in that area.
Thank you so much!!
Nothing was mentioned about the health care for us older folks. I’ve heard its tough to get a new patient appt. Is this the case? I’m considering moving there but my biggest concern is having good medical care. And the availability.
Hi, Stephanie! Great question, and I haven’t heard that that is the case. Let me speak to some friends in the medical field and find out their take. I’ll message you when I know more!
Going in blind. I currently live in Marysville,Wa, maybe 40-mins north of Seattle. My current home was last appraised at 1.103, It is 100% paid for, so maybe worse case scenario, my house sells for 940,000, that leaves me a little wiggle room, I’m looking at the price range 0f 700,000-750,000, from what I have read “West Richland” seems to be a nice area, I’m 63 now, No kids, Single, lived in Western Washington all my life, really tired of the rain, I think that I should be able to find a pretty nice home in that price range, I like nice modern homes with nice looking yards, I currently live on 2,45 acre lot here in Marysville ( the forest ) I will require a fenced backyard as I have a small dog, Also sick of the coyotes running through my yard….
Just sent you an email about all of that!
Hi, I’ve been reading through the comments and I’m looking to relocate. I’m a recent transplant to Colorado Springs from CA, and I’m unhappy here. I wanted 4 seasons again, but the wind here is more than unpleasant. And I’m just 63 and looking again for a safe place I can retire and also help raise my 4 year old grandson. I’m not fond of much rain, but love the snow. Is the trivalley a good place to (finally!) relocate for my needs? Would you send me some info on the healthcare system, safety and school ratings? Thank you!
Hi, Karen! I wrote back to you, did you get that email? Please let me know here if you didn’t.
Hello,
We are retiring and have two 10 year olds. We are looking for a great safe area to raise our children. Politics have taken a heavy toll in our country and I want to live somewhere where there are not a lot of political flags waiving around. We want to beClose to amenities and local sports. I would like a home with at least an acre to grow fruit trees and chickens. Can a place like this be found in the tri cities?
Hi, Angie! I will send you an email with more details.
Hi Cari! I live in West Richland too, and I’m planning to move (to get out from under a huge mortgage) in August or September. If you’d be interested in helping me sell my home I’d love to hear from you. I love that you are active on social media, and you’re a very good writer. Please contact me if you’re interested.
Blessings,
Glenn
HI, Glenn! I emailed you about your home sale. Check your SPAM folder, please, if you don’t see it right away.