Kennewick receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sunnyside
Kennewick
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
68 · Top 19%
vs71 · Top 15%
Climate
65 · Bottom 35%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs72 · Bottom 37%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs52 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 32%
vs49 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Sunnyside | Kennewick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,277 | 85,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,923 | $73,576 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $20,296 | $35,776 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,155/sq mi | 2,992/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $240,700 | $370,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,026 | $1,240 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.0% | 61.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | -0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 9.8% | 26.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.5% | 14.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 78 | 604 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.8 | 7.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 110.8% | 1.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 23°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.6" | 7.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 70 mi | 70 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.1 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.52 | 19.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.5% | 54.6% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Sunnyside
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake, heat wave.
Kennewick
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Full profiles: Sunnyside, WA · Kennewick, WA · How this is calculated: methodology