Moses Lake vs Richland
Moses Lake, Washington versus Richland, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Richland edges out Moses Lake on overall objective livability (53 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Moses Lake | Richland |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $89k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $49k |
| Home Value | $245k | $366k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.00% | 0.84% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 6.79% | 6.55% |
| Unemployment | 5.1% | 5.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 35°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 7.8 in | 8.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.9 in | 2.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 317 days | 252 days |
| Summer Humidity | 45°F | 44°F |
| Comfortable Days | 66 days | 53 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 33.3 | 27.9 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 85.0 | 69.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1801/100k | 1263/100k |
| Property Crime | 5477/100k | 3727/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,155 | 60,867 |
| Median Age | 31.1 | 36.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.34 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 1.07 |
| Political Leaning | R+35 | R+22 |
| White (%) | 51.0% | 74.6% |
| Black (%) | 3.2% | 1.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 39.2% | 13.5% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 6.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.7% | 4.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 5.2/20 | 11.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 88 mi | 125 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 86.8% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.83 | 37.95 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Moses Lake or Richland more affordable?
- Moses Lake has the lower cost of living: its index is $47k, compared with Moses Lake's $47k and Richland's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Moses Lake versus $1k in Richland.
- Is Moses Lake or Richland safer?
- Richland has the lower violent crime rate. Moses Lake reports 1801/100k and Richland reports 1263/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Moses Lake or Richland?
- The median home value is $245k in Moses Lake and $366k in Richland, so homes are more affordable in Moses Lake.