Benton County, Washington
Among the top 12% of US counties for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 12% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 88% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 78% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 70% of US counties
- top 4% for summer humidity
- top 5% for walkability
- bottom 2% for property crime
Benton County is a county in Washington with about 208,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include summer humidity, walkability, and broadband access. It rates lower on sales tax and property crime.
Official websiteco.benton.wa.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, dry summers · Cold winters · Dry · Light snow
v.cold
cold
cool
comf.
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
92%40%clearovercast
Precipitation 1.1 in0.3 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$84k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$49kbetter than 25% of US counties
Home Value$339k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 14% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 12% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.82%better than 52% of US counties
Income Tax0.90%better than 81% of US counties
Sales Tax9.38%better than 8% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden7.31%better than 81% of US counties
Unemployment4.8%better than 48% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)35°F52nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)75°F34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation8.3 in1st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.8 inbetter than 66% of US counties
Sunny Days255 daysbetter than 71% of US counties
Summer Humidity45°Fbetter than 96% of US counties
Comfortable Days54 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk87.1better than 13% of US counties
Air Quality41 AQIbetter than 61% of US counties
School Quality65.2better than 68% of US counties
Violent Crime1249/100kbetter than 24% of US counties
Property Crime3366/100kbetter than 2% of US counties
Community
Population207,56090th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.112th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4167th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0263rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2232nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)67.4%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.6%46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)23.5%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)3.0%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.5%72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 67% of US counties
Walkability10.8/20better than 95% of US counties
Airport Distance128 mibetter than 34% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.3%better than 89% of US counties
Amenities Nearby2.70better than 53% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 44% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Benton County an affordable place to live?
- Benton County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $49k, better than 25% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Benton County?
- The median home value in Benton County is $339k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Benton County?
- Median household income in Benton County is $84k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Benton County?
- Median gross rent in Benton County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Benton County safe?
- Benton County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1249/100k (better than 24%). Property crime is 3366/100k.
- What is the weather like in Benton County?
- Benton County averages 75°F in July and 35°F in January, with 8.3 in of annual precipitation and about 255 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Benton County?
- Public-school quality in Benton County is above average, scoring better than 68% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Benton County?
- The average one-way commute in Benton County is 22 min.
Other counties in Washington
Explore Washington
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)