Benton County is a county in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 206,873. The county seat is Prosser, and its most populous city is Kennewick. The Columbia River demarcates the county's north, south, and east boundaries.
Benton County was created from what were then larger versions of Klickitat County and Yakima County on March 8, 1905, and was named after Missouri statesman Thomas Hart Benton.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.4%) is water. The highest point of land elevation within the county is the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain at 3,527 feet; and the lowest point of land elevation is along the southwestern shore of Crow Butte at 265 feet (fluctuates due to level of Columbia River).
Waterways Columbia River - Surrounds and forms the county's boundary on three sides. Barge trafficking is possible upriver to anchorage sites in northern Richland, the upstream extent of Lake Wallula which forms behind McNary Dam. Yakima River - Bisects the county from west to east, emptying into the Columbia River at Richland. As a water source, the Yakima is the lifesource for agriculture in the Yakima Valley. A shallow river, the Yakima is suitably navigable only for small, personal watercraft. Historically, the Yakima River supported some of the most bountiful migratory fish populations in the entire Columbia Basin, and many of those legendary salmon runs are now rebounding after decades of demise. Amon Creek is the most notable tributary of the Yakima River in Benton County, emptying into the mainstem river near the Yakima River Delta in Richland.
Mountains and ridges Horse Heaven Hills Rattlesnake Hills Lookout Summit Rattlesnake Mountain Jump Off Joe Badger Mountain Candy Mountain Red Mountain
Adjacent counties Grant County - north Franklin County - northeast Walla Walla County - east Umatilla County, Oregon - southeast Morrow County, Oregon - southwest Klickitat County - southwest Yakima County - west
National Protected Areas Hanford Reach National Monument (part) Manhattan Project National Historical Park (part) Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (part) Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge (part)
Major highways Interstate 82 Interstate 182 U.S. Route 12 U.S. Route 395 Washington State Route 14 Washington State Route 240 Washington State Route 397
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 206,873. Of the residents, 26.2% were under the age of 18 and 15.7% were 65 years of age or older; the median age was 36.3 years. For every 100 females there were 98.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 96.9 males. 87.9% of residents lived in urban areas and 12.1% lived in rural areas.
+Benton County, Washington – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 2000Pop 2010% 2000% 2010White alone (NH)116,457130,437135,71881.74%74.46%65.60%Black or African American alone (NH)1,2272,0312,6210.86%1.16%1.27%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)9641,2801,1910.68%0.73%0.58%Asian alone (NH)3,1044,6216,2442.18%2.64%3.02%Pacific Islander alone (NH)1262215360.09%0.13%0.26%Other race alone (NH)1932601,0490.14%0.15%0.51%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)2,5983,63110,1751.82%2.07%4.92%Hispanic or Latino (any race)17,80632,69649,33912.50%18.66%23.85%Total142,475175,177206,873100.00%100.00%100.00%
The racial makeup of the county was 70.6% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 1.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.1% Asian, 11.9% from some other race, and 11.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 23.8% of the population.
There were 76,369 households in the county, of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 80,076 housing units, of which 4.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.9% were owner-occupied and 32.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.8%.
2010 census As of the 2010 census, there were 175,177 people, 65,304 households, and 45,699 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 68,618 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 82.4% white, 2.7% Asian, 1.3% black or African American, 0.9% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 9.0% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 18.7% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 22.3% were German, 13.4% were English, 12.5% were Irish, and 7.9% were American.
Of the 65,304 households, 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 11.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.0% were non-families, and 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.17. The median age was 35.6 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $57,354 and the median income for a family was $69,834. Males had a median income of $57,496 versus $36,575 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,161. About 9.3% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 142,475 people, 52,866 households, and 38,063 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 55,963 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 86.2% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 7.0% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. 12.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.1% were of German, 11.0% English, 9.1% United States or American and 8.4% Irish ancestry. 86.4% spoke English and 10.3% Spanish as their first language.
There were 52,866 households, out of which 38.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.60% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.70% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.50% from 25 to 44, 22.90% from 45 to 64, and 10.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 98.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,044, and the median income for a family was $54,146. Males had a median income of $45,556 versus $27,232 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,301. About 7.80% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.30% of those under age 18 and 6.90% of those age 65 or over.
Government Benton County is one of the 33 counties in Washington that operates under the non-chartered "commission" or "plural executive" form of government. Three commissioners share administrative aegis with several other partisan officials independently elected to four-year terms of office. Judges of the superior court are also independently elected. In Benton County, the commissioners appoint a county administrator to oversee all departments that do not fall under other elected officials. Commissioner (District 1) - Jerome Delvin Commissioner (District 2) - Michael Alvarez Commissioner (District 3) - Will McKay
The County government is seated in Prosser, with many departments having satellite and auxiliary offices and facilities in Richland, Kennewick, and elsewhere. An attempt to move the county seat from Prosser to Kennewick resulted in a November 1984 ballot measure, which had 54.4 percent approval but failed to meet the required 60 percent threshold.
There are five incorporated cities within Benton County. The two larger cities—Kennewick and Richland—employ the "council-manager" form of government where the mayor is elected from the city council and serves a more ceremonial role, whereby direct administration of the city is the responsibility of the city manager. The three smaller cities—Benton City, Prosser, and West Richland—use the "mayor-council" form of government where the mayor is the chief administrator of the city and is directly elected by the citizens. In Washington, a majority of cities use the mayor-council form, but the council-manager structure is common among medium-sized municipalities.
Numerous special purpose districts with varying degrees of taxing and administrative authority such as port authorities and school districts oversee local responsibilities that are not a part of county or city governance.
Politics
Education Benton County is serviced by six public school districts and a few smaller private schools.
Public education Delta High School, located in Pasco, is a public high school specializing in the "STEM" fields of study (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). Delta High School is a collaborative venture of the Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland school districts, and is located in neighboring Franklin County, Washington. Prosser High School is located much closer to the county seat of Benton County.
Higher education Two public college branch campuses are located in Benton County, each in Richland: Columbia Basin College - CBC is a community college conferring associates, transfer, and baccalaureate degrees with its main campus located in Pasco and a branch campus co-located with Delta High School in central Richland. Washington State University Tri-Cities - WSUTC is a branch of the Washington State University system based in Pullman, with a growing campus located in North Richland near the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Recreation
The Tri-City area's climate and distance to other metropolitan areas has made it a destination for tourism, particularly in outdoor recreation.
Golf courses Benton County is home to seven publicly accessible golf courses:
Canyon Lakes (Kennewick) – 7,026 yards | 73.8 / 131 Columbia Park (Kennewick) – 2,447 yards Zintel Creek Golf Club (Kennewick) – 4,900 yards | 63.9 / 115 Buckskin (Richland) - note: 9 holes Columbia Point (Richland) – 6,571 yards | 71.2 / 128 Horn Rapids (Richland) – 7,060 yards | 74.0 / 139 West Richland (West Richland) – 6,014 yards
A private golf and country club, Meadow Springs, is also located in Richland.
Museums Benton County Historical Museum East Benton County Historical Museum Hanford Reach Interpretive Center
Sports The Tri-City Americans are a major junior hockey team and member of the Western Hockey League. They play at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. The Americans began as the Calgary Buffaloes in 1966, and after stints in Billings, Nanaimo, and New Westminster, moved to the Tri-Cities for the 1988–89 season where they were rebranded as the "Americans".
Public lands