Benton County, WA

County

Add Comparison

2024 Population

212,905

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

36.3

0.276% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

11%

0.648% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$89,874

2.93% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$407,800

10.4% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

95,443

0.208% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Benton County, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

93.5% of the residents in Benton County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Benton County, WA are Paul Mitchell the School-Richland (199 degrees awarded in 2023), Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology (57 degrees), and Pacific Northwest Christian College (1 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Benton County, WA was $407,800, and the homeownership rate was 67.6%.

Most people in Benton County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Benton County, WA was 2 cars per household.

Benton County, WA borders Morrow County, OR, Umatilla County, OR, Franklin County, WA, Grant County, WA, Klickitat County, WA, Walla Walla County, WA, and Yakima County, WA.

United States Washington Kennewick-Richland, WA

Population & Diversity

Benton County, WA is home to a population of 213k people, from which 93.5% are citizens. As of 2024, 11.4% of Benton County, WA residents were born outside of the country (24.2k people).

In 2024, there were 6.24 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (138k people) in Benton County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 22.1k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) and 18k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.5%

2024 Citizenship

93.4%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 93.5% of Benton County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Benton County, WA was 93.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Benton County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Benton County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
138k ± 717
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
22.1k ± 2k
Other (Hispanic)
18k ± 2.05k

25.6%

Hispanic Population

54.5k people

25.6% of the people in Benton County, WA are hispanic (54.5k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Benton County, WA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
248,556 ± 12,042 people
India
107,324 ± 7,987 people
China
89,838 ± 7,316 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 248,556 Washington residents, followed by India with 107,324 and China with 89,838.

Foreign-Born Population

11.4%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

24.2k people

11.2%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

23.6k people

As of 2024, 11.4% of Benton County, WA residents (24.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Benton County, WA was 11.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Benton County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
3,865 ± 467
Gulf War (2001-)
3,219 ± 527
Gulf War (1990s)
1,678 ± 336

Benton County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.2 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Benton County, WA.

Economy

The economy of Benton County, WA employs 95.4k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Benton County, WA were Health Care & Social Assistance (12,730 people), Retail Trade (10,474 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (10,126 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($114,385), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($103,490), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($90,181).

Employment

Occupations

95.4k

2024 Value

± 2,617

0.208%

1 Year growth

± 3.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Benton County, WA grew at a rate of 0.208%, from 95.2k employees to 95.4k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Benton County, WA, are Management Occupations (10,290 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (9,127 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (8,194 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Benton County, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

95.4k

2024 Value

± 2,617

0.208%

1 Year growth

± 3.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Benton County, WA grew at a rate of 0.208%, from 95.2k employees to 95.4k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Benton County, WA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (12,730 people), Retail Trade (10,474 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (10,126 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Benton County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Benton County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$65,714

Median earning men ± $2,344

$42,125

Median earning women ± $1,479

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($105,475), Public Administration ($96,146), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($77,333).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Construction ($72,522), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($61,176), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,042).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Y-Axis

3.62%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.58M people employed in Washington. This represents a 3.62% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

472
Construction
319
Health Care and Social Assistance
303
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$947k
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
$816k
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$804k
Health Care and Social Assistance

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Kamala Harris with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (39%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.4%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Benton County, WA. Showing the available data for Washington.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (57.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (39%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.4%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Kamala Harris with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (39%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.4%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Washington for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2023, universities in Benton County, WA awarded 257 degrees. The student population of Benton County, WA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 142 male students and 303 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Benton County, WA are Hispanic or Latino (118 and 46.5%), White (83 and 32.7%), Two or More Races (42 and 16.5%), and Black or African American (4 and 1.57%).

The largest universities in Benton County, WA by number of degrees awarded are Paul Mitchell the School-Richland (199 and 77.4%), Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology (57 and 22.2%), and Pacific Northwest Christian College (1 and 0.389%).

The most popular majors in Benton County, WA are General Cosmetology (110 and 42.8%), Aesthetician & Skin Care Specialist (46 and 17.9%), and Barbering (40 and 15.6%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 445 students enrolled in Benton County, WA, 31.9% men and 68.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 222 records, of which 62.6% were women and 37.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Master Aesthetician
17 degrees awarded
General Cosmetology
110 degrees awarded
Barbering
40 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Benton County, WA was Master Aesthetician with 17 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 1 to 2 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Benton County, WA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Paul Mitchell the School-Richland
199 degrees awarded
Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology
57 degrees awarded
Pacific Northwest Christian College
1 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Paul Mitchell the School-Richland with 199 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 38 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Benton County, WA, which is 0.174 times less than the 219 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 118 degrees mean that there were 1.42 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 83 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($11,000) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($350) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($375) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Benton County, WA was $407,800 in 2024, which is 1.23 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $369,400 to $407,800, a 10.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Benton County, WA is 67.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Benton County, WA have an average commute time of 22.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Benton County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Benton County, WA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.816%.

Housing

Property

$407,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$7,426

$52,779

Median Property Taxes

±$1,710

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Benton County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Benton County, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

67.6%

Homeownership

2024

68.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 67.6% of the housing units in Benton County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Benton County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$89,874

Median Household Income

± $2,080

78k

Number of Households

± 2,242

In 2024, the median household income of the 78k households in Benton County, WA grew to $89,874 from the previous year's value of $87,316.

The following chart displays the households in Benton County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Benton County, WA is from Washington.

0.468

2023 Wage GINI in Washington

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2023, the income inequality in Washington was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.276% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (73.5%)
Worked At Home (12.9%)
Carpooled (10.5%)

In 2024, 73.5% of workers in Benton County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.9%) and those who carpooled to work (10.5%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Benton County, WA have a shorter commute time (22.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.43% of the workforce in Benton County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Benton County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Benton County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Benton County, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Benton County, WA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 0.816%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Benton County, WA (23.2k out of 211k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Benton County, WA is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 12.9% of the children was living in poverty in Benton County, WA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 195 in Benton County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 41 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

92.1% of the population of Benton County, WA has health coverage, with 47.6% on employee plans, 19.9% on Medicaid, 11.4% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 1.05% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Benton County, WA see 1,419 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,419 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1400 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 258 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.3% were men and 49.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,419 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Benton County, WA

Primary care physicians in Benton County, WA see an average of 1,419 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,419 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Benton County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.6% under 18 years, 20.5% between 18 and 34 years, 36.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 50.3% were men and 49.7% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.92%

Uninsured

47.6%

Employer Coverage

19.9%

Medicaid

11.4%

Medicare

12.2%

Non-Group

1.05%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Benton County, WA grew by 4.96% from 7.54% to 7.92%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Benton County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 40.3 in Benton County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Benton County, WA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 40% in Benton County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Benton County, WA.