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Living in
Pasco.
About
Life in Pasco
If you're considering Pasco, you're looking at a genuinely affordable place to buy or rent—median home values around $1,227 and median rent under $1,200—which is a real draw in the current market. The city is young and family-focused, with nearly half of households having kids under 18, and you'll find a strong Latino community that shapes local culture and events like the Fiery Foods Festival. Jobs exist primarily in food processing, the Hanford nuclear complex, railways, and increasingly in the wine industry, with a reasonable 5.4% unemployment rate and a median household income of $85,586.
Pasco at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
12.6%
Foreign-Born
20.8%
Broadband Internet
93.9%
of households
Population Growth
+7.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics20.8% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Pasco: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Pasco, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (77.6%), and 49.0% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
31.4%
of residents
65 and Older
9.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
48.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.9%
of households
Married Couples
53.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.19
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 30% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Pasco
In Pasco, rent runs 30% below the WA average, and home values are 33% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
50.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
100.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,708
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2001
median year built
Vacant Homes
3.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $416,458 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above WA average
Unemployment in Pasco
Unemployment in Pasco is 0.7 percentage points higher than the WA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Pasco Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.5 min avg
How Pasco residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Pasco, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 75% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Tri Cities Airport (PSC)
Small hub526k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Pasco is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
338.3
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,643.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Pasco Police Department
Natural DisastersHigh Wind most common — 3 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
72.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Franklin County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Franklin County, which includes Pasco, the most common type is high wind, with 3 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2024 | 7 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2023 | 3 | Frost/Freeze | Not estimated |
| 2022 | 13 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2021 | 7 | High Wind | Not estimated |
| 2020 | 10 | Dust Storm | $12,000 |
| 2019 | 6 | Heavy Snow | Not estimated |
| 2018 | 8 | Wildfire | Not estimated |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
3 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Franklin County, county-wide
Air Quality23 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Franklin County, which includes Pasco, is typically good — 312 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
23
Good Days
312
per year
Moderate Days
46
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Franklin County, county-wide
Climate89°F summers, 28°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Pasco has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and cold winters (avg low 28°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
67°/39°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/39°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/28°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
7.6"
Annual Snowfall
2.0"
Hot Days/Year
55
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
112
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
77
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 28°F | 1.03" |
| Feb | 49°F | 28°F | 0.63" |
| Mar | 59°F | 33°F | 0.69" |
| Apr | 67°F | 38°F | 0.66" |
| May | 77°F | 46°F | 0.71" |
| Jun | 83°F | 53°F | 0.61" |
| Jul | 93°F | 57°F | 0.15" |
| Aug | 91°F | 56°F | 0.27" |
| Sep | 81°F | 48°F | 0.31" |
| Oct | 66°F | 38°F | 0.66" |
| Nov | 50°F | 32°F | 0.87" |
| Dec | 41°F | 27°F | 1.03" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Pasco
Pasco has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
11.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Lourdes Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Trios Health
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · Kennewick
Lourdes Counseling Center
Psychiatric · 7.2 mi away · Richland
Kadlec Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 7.2 mi away · Richland
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education17.7:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Pasco
Pasco's student/teacher ratio is 17.7:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 21.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
29
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
21.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
17.7:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Pasco
Public · 2-year · 4,640 students · in-state tuition $6,744 · 44% graduate · median earnings $51,967 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Pacific Northwest Christian College
3.2 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 2-year · 129 students · in-state tuition $11,350 · 50% graduate
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Pasco
Pasco has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail
National Geologic Trail
23 mi awayWhitman Mission National Historic Site
National Historic Site
35 mi awayPublic Libraries in Pasco
Pasco Branch Library
1320 W. Hopkins, Pasco
West Pasco Branch Library
7525 Wrigley Drive, Pasco
Cities Near Pasco
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Pasco?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Pasco FAQ
Is Pasco, Washington affordable?⌄
Pasco's median rent is $1,227/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $85,586/year. Median home value is $376,300.
Is Pasco, Washington safe?⌄
Pasco's violent crime rate was 338 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1643 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Pasco, Washington?⌄
Pasco has an unemployment rate of 5.4%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Pasco, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Pasco is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,227/month and median household income is $85,586/year. The median home value is $376,300. About 50% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Pasco, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Pasco is 23 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from