HousingPermits

Metro area in Washington · part of the Kennewick-Richland-Walla Walla, WA combined area

Kennewick-Richland, WA

The Kennewick-Richland metro area authorized 2,431 new housing units in 2025. Relative to population, the rate was 7.0 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the third-highest rate of the 48 metro areas based in the Pacific states. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2004, with 3,264 units; 2025 came to 74% of that.

01,0002,0003,0004,0002004: 3,264 units (2,217 single-family, 241 in 2–4 unit, 806 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,450 units (2,164 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,724 units (1,714 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,603 units (1,396 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 201 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,101 units (1,082 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,091 units (1,080 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,022 units (1,573 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 447 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,697 units (1,339 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 354 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,625 units (1,271 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,305 units (1,085 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,264 units (1,078 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,464 units (1,221 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 237 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,887 units (1,448 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 371 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,809 units (1,457 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 288 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,901 units (1,558 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 290 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,141 units (1,656 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 399 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,965 units (1,745 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 190 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,149 units (1,915 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 111 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,886 units (1,232 single-family, 169 in 2–4 unit, 485 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,059 units (1,090 single-family, 124 in 2–4 unit, 845 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,489 units (1,504 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 893 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,431 units (1,381 single-family, 73 in 2–4 unit, 977 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252004 high · 3,2642009 low · 1,09101,5003,0004,5002004: 3,264 units (2,217 single-family, 241 in 2–4 unit, 806 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 2,450 units (2,164 single-family, 184 in 2–4 unit, 102 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 1,724 units (1,714 single-family, 10 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,603 units (1,396 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 201 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 1,101 units (1,082 single-family, 9 in 2–4 unit, 10 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,091 units (1,080 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 5 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 2,022 units (1,573 single-family, 2 in 2–4 unit, 447 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,697 units (1,339 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 354 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 1,625 units (1,271 single-family, 78 in 2–4 unit, 276 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 1,305 units (1,085 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 80 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 1,264 units (1,078 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 1,464 units (1,221 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 237 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 1,887 units (1,448 single-family, 68 in 2–4 unit, 371 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 1,809 units (1,457 single-family, 64 in 2–4 unit, 288 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 1,901 units (1,558 single-family, 53 in 2–4 unit, 290 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 2,141 units (1,656 single-family, 86 in 2–4 unit, 399 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 1,965 units (1,745 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 190 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 2,149 units (1,915 single-family, 123 in 2–4 unit, 111 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 1,886 units (1,232 single-family, 169 in 2–4 unit, 485 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,059 units (1,090 single-family, 124 in 2–4 unit, 845 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,489 units (1,504 single-family, 92 in 2–4 unit, 893 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 2,431 units (1,381 single-family, 73 in 2–4 unit, 977 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252004 high · 3,264

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 6.5% between 2020 and 2025, the second-fastest growth among the 48 metro areas based in the Pacific states.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 10 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Pasco, with 3,620 units or 33% of the total, followed by Richland with 2,670. Among the three largest, Pasco put 45% of its units in five-plus buildings, Kennewick 23%.

  • Pasco33% (3,620 units)
  • Richland24% (2,670 units)
  • Kennewick19% (2,067 units)
  • West Richland10% (1,117 units)
  • Benton County (unincorporated)6.1% (672 units)
  • Franklin County (unincorporated)2.8% (306 units)
  • Prosser2.4% (261 units)
  • Benton City2.3% (255 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

The wider Kennewick-Richland-Walla Walla region

The Census Bureau groups Kennewick with one neighboring metro area in the Kennewick-Richland-Walla Walla, WA combined area. Metro areas in it authorized 2,418 units a year in 2021–2025 (micropolitan parts not counted); Kennewick accounted for 91%. The other, with its yearly average: Walla Walla (215).

Where in the metro

Benton County accounted for 64% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Franklin County for 36%.

  • Benton County64% (1,663 in 2025)
  • Franklin County36% (768 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 98 other metro areas, among them Roanoke, Kingsport, Green Bay. Annual permits fell from 3,264 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,091 in 2009, a drop of 67%. The nearest bust profile in the Pacific states was Bremerton's (66%). The 2021–2025 pace of 2,203 units a year is 11% below the 2004–2006 pace.

Houses or apartments

In Kennewick, 65% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 30% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Wenatchee (30% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 12%. Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.3% of units, against 3.5% nationally. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2025 (977), single-family houses in 2004 (2,217).

2021–202564.7%65%5.3%30.1%30%2004–200681.9%82%5.8%12.2%12%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202564.7%65%5.3%30.1%30%2004–200681.9%82%5.8%12.2%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Boulder, CO2,0015.062%
Columbus, GA-AL6052.931%
South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI7512.030%
Kennewick-Richland, WA2,4317.030%
Roanoke, VA8772.738%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Kennewick beside South Bend

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Washington. Counting rules.