Kennewick vs Olympia
Compare Kennewick, WA and Olympia, WA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Kennewick is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,157/mo versus $1,499/mo in Olympia — a gap of about $342/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,485/mo against $1,802/mo. Across the four public-data screens Kennewick comes out ahead (243 vs 229 summed points), though Olympia still wins specific categories below.
Climate is a real differentiator: Kennewick runs summer highs near 88°F and winter lows near 23°F, while Olympia runs 77°F and 33°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Kennewick; if walkable daily life matters more, Olympia screens stronger on the walkability proxy (18 vs 4). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Kennewick leads 73 to 63 on the cost and climate screen.
Kennewick leads 75 to 71 on the work screen.
Olympia leads 42 to 39 on the daily life screen.
Kennewick leads 56 to 53 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Kennewick is roughly $75,556 in Olympia using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Kennewick | Olympia | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,157/mo | $1,499/mo | Kennewick |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,485/mo | $1,802/mo | Kennewick |
| Median home value | $330,000 | $412,000 | Kennewick |
| State income tax | None | None | Tie |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 28.6 min | Kennewick |
| Safety score | 40/100 | 40/100 | Tie |
| School score | 5/10 | 7/10 | Olympia |
| Walkability estimate | 4/100 | 18/100 | Olympia |
| Outdoor score | 8/10 | 6/10 | Kennewick |
| Restaurants per 100k | 172.6 | 167.5 | Kennewick |
| Mountain distance | 90 mi | 7 mi | Olympia |
| Coast distance | 173 mi | 4 mi | Olympia |
What stands out
Kennewick stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Strong outdoor access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 61 miles
Kennewick tradeoffs
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Olympia stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Trail access within 29 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 74 miles
Olympia tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Common questions
Is Kennewick cheaper than Olympia?
On public benchmarks Kennewick is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,157/mo in Kennewick vs $1,499/mo in Olympia; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,485/mo vs $1,802/mo; state income tax is 0% vs 0%.
Is Kennewick or Olympia safer?
Kennewick screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 40/100 for Kennewick and 40/100 for Olympia (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Kennewick or Olympia?
School screens show 5/10 for Kennewick vs 7/10 for Olympia, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Kennewick and Olympia?
Kennewick: summer highs near 88°F, winter lows near 23°F, disaster-risk band 1/3. Olympia: 77°F / 33°F, disaster-risk band 1/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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