Map the Block › Places › Washington › Benton County
What are the crime rate and median income in Benton County, Washington?
FBI reports put Benton County at 2.9 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 15% lower than the rate for Washington (3.4). Median household income is $89,874 and the unemployment rate was 4.4% in August 2026. Population: about 212,905 (Census, 2020-2024).
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Benton County?
Police agencies in Benton County reported an average of 619 violent crimes and 5,512 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. That is 2.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents, 15% lower than the Washington rate (3.4), and 22% lower than the U.S. rate (3.7). For property crime the county rate is 25.6 per 1,000 (Washington: 27.5; U.S.: 18.1). Aggravated assaults make up 64% of the violent total. CDC death records show about 8 homicide deaths a year in the county (4.0 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Benton County | Per 1,000 | Washington per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 619 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 10 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 116 | 0.54 | 0.40 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 96 | 0.45 | 0.72 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 398 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 5,512 | 25.6 | 27.5 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 772 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 3,967 | 18.4 | 18.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 774 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (5 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Benton County?
The median household in Benton County earns $89,874 a year, close to the Washington median ($98,141). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $407,800, and the median rent is $1,306 a month. 14.8% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 11.5%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.4% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 4,738 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Benton County | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 212,905 | 7,816,116 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $89,874 | $98,141 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $407,800 | $564,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,306 | $1,760 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 5.3% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 11.0% | 9.9% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 14.8% | 11.5% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 39.6% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 67.6% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 36.3 | 38.3 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 92.2% | 93.6% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 7.9% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Benton County?
Benton County carries a “Relatively Moderate” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”. The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
EPA lists 3 active Superfund sites (final or proposed) in Benton County: Hanford 200-Area (Usdoe), Hanford 300-Area (Usdoe) and Hanford 100-Area (Usdoe). 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 22 high-hazard dams in Benton County. 1 is rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 10 Satisfactory or Fair. Tallest on the list: Mcnary Lock and Dam (220 ft) and Zintel Canyon Dam (125 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
10 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 4,719,386 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Benton County was covered by 1 federal major disaster declaration from 2016 through 2025 (Flood 1), not counting COVID-19. EPA air monitors logged 3 days in 2024 when the air quality index reached “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse. Of 44 community water systems, none had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 2 (moderate). NHTSA counted 17 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 1 pedestrian.
Is there road construction in Benton County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 2 highway work zones in Benton County (1 active that day). Listed roads include 224 and 082. 1 is on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Benton County?
Benton County has 68 public schools (2024-25) and 9 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 4 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 35 fire or EMS stations and 5 police or sheriff stations. 1 state park or recreation area: River State Park.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Benton County?
1 ancient or sacred site is on the map here: Rattlesnake Mountain (Benton County, Washington). Many are sacred to living communities, so visit respectfully and follow posted rules.
See them on the map: sacred sites →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Benton County
Gun shops
11 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Benton County (10 from the ATF licensee list, 1 from OpenStreetMap), plus 11 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). One of them is a pawnshop licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Ace Hardware (Richland), Ace Jewelry And Loan (Kennewick), Big 5 Sporting Goods #170 (Kennewick), Big 5 Sporting Goods #293 (Richland), Kennewick Ace Hardware (Kennewick), Kennewick Ranch & Home (Kennewick), Richland Ace Hardware (Richland), Schoonies Rod Shop (Benton City) and 2 more.
Liquor stores
2 liquor stores are on the map in Benton County: Jen Smoke & Gift Shop (Kennewick) and Mid-Columbia Wine & Spirits (Kennewick).
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Benton County: Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho-Kennewick (Kennewick).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Benton County?
Benton County averaged 619 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 2.9 per 1,000 residents, 15% lower than the Washington rate (3.4). The property-crime rate was 25.6 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Benton County?
$89,874 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $98,141 for Washington and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Benton County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.4% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 4,738 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Benton County?
Benton County carries a “Relatively Moderate” overall rating in FEMA's National Risk Index. No single hazard among floods, wildfire, tornadoes, heat waves, earthquakes and hurricanes is rated higher than “Relatively Moderate”.
Are there Superfund sites in Benton County?
EPA lists 3 active Superfund sites (final or proposed) in Benton County: Hanford 200-Area (Usdoe), Hanford 300-Area (Usdoe) and Hanford 100-Area (Usdoe). 1 other site has finished cleanup and been taken off the list.
Is there road construction in Benton County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 2 highway work zones in Benton County (1 active that day). Listed roads include 224 and 082. 1 is on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Benton County?
4 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Benton County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County | 98,902 | 3.0 | $86,714 |
| Grant County | 101,799 | 2.8 | $73,267 |
| Klickitat County | 23,411 | 0.41 | $71,042 |
| Morrow County, OR | 12,300 | 2.5 | $75,448 |
| Umatilla County, OR | 79,940 | 2.5 | $67,728 |
| Walla Walla County | 62,161 | 2.7 | $74,202 |
| Yakima County | 257,152 | 3.5 | $70,656 |
Cities in Benton County with their own page: Kennewick, Pasco, Richland.
More: Washington statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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