West Richland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
West Richland
Pasco
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
91 · Top 1%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
63 · Bottom 29%
vs63 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 39%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
57 · Bottom 6%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
62 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | West Richland | Pasco | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,586 | 79,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $119,892 | $85,586 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,272 | $33,707 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 795/sq mi | 2,042/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $448,300 | $376,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,590 | $1,227 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.4% | 70.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.5% | 0.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 12.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 391 | 821 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 22.2 | 10.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 231.4% | 12.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 28°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 7.6" | 7.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 66 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 30.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.00 | 17.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.5% | 69.3% | 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
West Richland
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, heat wave, earthquake.
Pasco
Elevated or high exposure: heat wave, inland flooding, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
West Richland
69
Your Score
70
Area Score
Pasco
61
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: West Richland, WA · Pasco, WA · How this is calculated: methodology