Gresham vs Kennewick
The short version
- Kennewick is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 5% lower than in the Gresham area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $370,700 in Kennewick and $458,700 in Gresham.
- Households earn more in Gresham ($77,795 vs $73,576 median).
- Gresham has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 41°F.
- Kennewick has more scorching days: 55 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 15.
- Kennewick is growing faster: +5.3% since 2020 vs -2.4%.
- Commutes are shorter in Kennewick (21 vs 26 minutes each way).
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; Oregon's top rate is 9.9%.
Side by side
| Gresham, OR | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 111,513 | 88,366 |
| Growth since 2020 | -2.4% | +5.3% |
| People per square mile | 4,732 | 3,100 |
| Median age | 37.0 | 35.7 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23% | 26% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $77,795 | $73,576 |
| Median home value | $458,700 | $370,700 |
| Home value to income | 5.9× | 5.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,586 | $1,240 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 105.4 | 100.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 125.1 | 94.8 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $79,100 | $75,100 |
| Homeowners | 56% | 61% |
| Top state income tax | 9.9% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 0% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 26.0 | 21.3 |
| Work from home | 13% | 10% |
| Take public transit | 4% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.6% | 5.1% |
| Poverty rate | 13% | 14.3% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 36° | 41° / 28° |
| July high / low | 82° / 59° | 93° / 57° |
| Precipitation per year | 37 in | 8 in |
| Snowfall per year | 4 in | 2 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 15 | 55 |
| Nights below freezing | 32 | 112 |
| Comfortable months | 7 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.5 | 87.1 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 70% | 79% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.4% | +1.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +21.2% | +33.2% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Gresham: April to October. Kennewick: May to June and September.
Full monthly tables: Gresham weather by month and Kennewick weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $79,100 in Gresham and $75,100 in Kennewick. Moving from Gresham to Kennewick, you would need about $71,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Gresham and Kennewick
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Gresham and Kennewick.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.