Cold desert

Richland, Washington

Benton County, Washington · Population 62k · 377 ft elevation

Living in Richland

Richland has a cold desert climate: hot summers (July highs around 89°F) and chilly winters (January lows around 29°F).

Precipitation is very dry at about 7″ a year, and it sees only a dusting of snow (8″ a season).

Skies are sunny (66% of possible sunshine). It never gets truly muggy.

Air quality is good: a median AQI of 36, with about 2 unhealthy-air days in the latest year.

There is plenty to explore outdoors around Richland: about 15% of the land within 30 miles is public (parks, national forest and the like), and the terrain rises and falls about 1,300 ft around town.

Richland at a glance

Population
62k
Elevation
377 ft
Average daily high
65°F45th percentile
Average daily low
43°F36th percentile
Annual precipitation
7″1th percentile
Annual snowfall
8″43th percentile
Sunshine hours per year
3,071 hrs74th percentile
Median AQI
3616th percentile
Median home value
$402k72th percentile
Median rent
$1,397/mo62th percentile
Median household income
$93k68th percentile
Property tax rate
0.82%38th percentile
Top state income-tax rate
0.0%
Sales tax (state + local)
9.4%
Unemployment rate
5.0%
Homes with broadband
93%62th percentile
Walkability index
12.582th percentile
Average commute
20 min
Math proficiency (8th grade)
46%51th percentile
Reading proficiency (8th grade)
59%
Violent crime rate
257 per 100k65th percentile
Property crime rate
2,036 per 100k
Overall natural-hazard risk
8742th percentile
Outdoor access
8483th percentile
Public land within 10 miles
8%
Public land within 30 miles
15%
Mountain relief within 30 miles
1,345 ft

Climate by month

Average monthly weather in Richland, Washington
MonthHighLowPrecipitationSnowSunshine
Jan41°F29°F1.0″2.3″106 hrs
Feb48°F30°F0.7″1.3″161 hrs
Mar57°F35°F0.6″0.5″219 hrs
Apr65°F41°F0.6″0.1″283 hrs
May74°F48°F0.6″—337 hrs
Jun80°F54°F0.6″—367 hrs
Jul89°F60°F0.2″—433 hrs
Aug88°F59°F0.1″—388 hrs
Sep79°F51°F0.3″—306 hrs
Oct64°F42°F0.5″—234 hrs
Nov49°F34°F0.9″1.0″141 hrs
Dec40°F28°F1.1″2.4″96 hrs

Near Richland

Largest places in Washington

Sources: NOAA climate normals, NASA POWER, EPA air quality, U.S. Census Bureau, FEMA, FBI, EPA walkability and EDFacts. Methodology