Kennewick vs Medford
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $370,700 in Kennewick and $417,100 in Medford.
- Medford has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 41°F.
- Kennewick is growing faster: +5.3% since 2020 vs +0.5%.
- Commutes are shorter in Medford (17 vs 21 minutes each way).
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; Oregon's top rate is 9.9%.
Side by side
| Kennewick, WA | Medford, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 88,366 | 86,494 |
| Growth since 2020 | +5.3% | +0.5% |
| People per square mile | 3,100 | 3,026 |
| Median age | 35.7 | 38.9 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26% | 30% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $73,576 | $73,230 |
| Median home value | $370,700 | $417,100 |
| Home value to income | 5.0× | 5.7× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,240 | $1,376 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.1 | 101.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 94.8 | 97.7 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,100 | $76,100 |
| Homeowners | 61% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | None | 9.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.57% | 0% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 21.3 | 16.6 |
| Work from home | 10% | 11% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.1% | 5.3% |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 41° / 28° | 48° / 33° |
| July high / low | 93° / 57° | 92° / 59° |
| Precipitation per year | 8 in | 18 in |
| Snowfall per year | 2 in | 3 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 55 | 61 |
| Nights below freezing | 112 | 64 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 87.1 | 92.5 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 79% | 66% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.9% | +3.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +33.2% | +22% |
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: Kennewick: May to June and September. Medford: May to June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Kennewick weather by month and Medford weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,100 in Kennewick and $76,100 in Medford. Moving from Kennewick to Medford, you would need about $76,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.