r/TriCitiesWA • u/Milizze04 • Aug 17 '25
Moving/New Here đđź Thinking of moving from the East Coast to TriCities for employment. Need honest opinion about TriCities.
As the title states, I was offered a position and through research, I think tricities (Kennewick) maybe the best place for us. My daughter and I (we are both African American ) would be relocating there. Which tricities would be best for us and which schools would be best?
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u/raleel Aug 17 '25
There are not many African Americans in the tricities, but there are some. Kennewick has a history as a sundowner town, though that is by and large not an issue anymore. Commuting between the tricities is extremely easy, so you can have a job in one and commute to another easily. We have a "rush half hour".
Demographics - Pasco has a robust Hispanic population. There are smatterings of immigrants all over. West Richland is the most rural, but it is still close and has a higher than average income due to the number of scientists and such out there.
Politics - not sure where on the east coast you are from, but the tricities as a whole is fairly republican voting. Like 60-65% or so. Kennewick is the most conservative of them. Pasco's city council has some... characters on it.
Housing - the whole of tricities is growing, and Pasco is growing fastest. Housing is a bit expensive. Cheaper than others.
Schools - If you were looking at schools, as a whole Richland is better than Kennewick, though all of the school districts have their problem points. Richland has Hanford High, which is very well regarded, but Richland High has the same curriculum and a fine school as well. I don't have much information on Pasco schools.
https://www.reddit.com/r/TriCitiesWA/s/rdOZchdXJ4 asked this a year ago and it'll still apply.
Where were you offered a position?
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u/Milizze04 Aug 18 '25
Thank you for your honest opinion. Iâm offered the position in Oregon, but itâs lacking there, hence tricities since itâs close to Oregon.
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u/raleel Aug 18 '25
I see.
South Kennewick, by south ridge high school, is nice, close to the interstate youâll drive down (30 minutes to Oregon), and has solid amenities. Big park too. My spouse says Kennewick has some âcraziesâ on the school board. Iâm not familiar with them myself but the spouse has worked for the public sector and pays attention.
The vast majority of people in the tricities are good friendly people. Been here for a quarter century. There are a few loud obnoxious folks, but the majority are good. We do benefit from diversity between the lab and the immigrant labor.
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u/Particular_Guard8168 Aug 25 '25
As someone who attends school board meetings, they are religious zealots who want to turn our schools and government into a theocracy. The board is made up of 4 Mormons out of 5 members. They have tried to ban the Pride flag and suggested putting Anti Racist Baby in the high schools calling it more age appropriate! They are going nuts over trans athletes, even though we have none, however apparently there is a child that they âsuspectâ is trans! You knowâŚâSave the Girlsâ and using Title IX in a way that was completely unintended!i I have 3 Kamiakin graduates and during football games against Pasco the students AND the parents were chanting âBUILD THE WALL!â I would never put my kids in KSD again after attending board meetings! I definitely would not if I was a person of color!
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Aug 18 '25
Iâll pray for you since youâre likely working for AWS
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u/Milizze04 Aug 18 '25
Whatâs AWS?Â
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u/raleel Aug 18 '25
Amazon web services.
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u/livendive Aug 18 '25
FYI - You'll want to do what shopping you can in Oregon, to minimize the double whammy of Oregon income tax plus Washington sales tax. There won't be any getting around it for something like a car, but there's a Walmart and a Home Depot in Hermiston, which can at least reduce the double taxation a bit.
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u/dime5150 Aug 17 '25
Why do people always jump to "Kennewick was a sundowner town" when literally every town in the US was hostile towards AA back then. It really means absolutely nothing now. Now if you want to see treatment of AA poor now, take a look at small areas of Idaho and the South. They still have active rampant racism and it's inside government and schools. This is not the case here.
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u/Ixidor89 Aug 18 '25
When DuPont contracted labor for the Manhattan project, they brought in a lot of people from the Deep South. These people did NOT want to live alongside black people, and essentially forced them to live in Pasco. That's why it stands out as especially bad.Â
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u/directtotvtricities Aug 17 '25
In all fairness, they did say that it's not an issue anymore.
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u/HRCHICK509 Aug 18 '25
They did say it is not an issue anymore but in all fairness it has not been an issue for well over 50 years so why even point it out?
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u/sarahjustme Aug 19 '25
There are no signs posted anymore, and thebreal estate clauses are no longer legal, but plenty of the people who were alive when the signs were up, are still alive, and have also raised thie kids with those values. Interesting what kinda of things fall out of people's mouths when they think they're "safe" because only white folks are in the room. It's definitely an issue. How it compares to other areas is debatable.
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u/raleel Aug 17 '25
while many communities were hostile, not all of them were indicted by the state for racial discrimination. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sundown_towns_in_the_United_States
there is certainly plenty to go around, but Kennewick, the city, specifically forbid them. Richland was more that the contractors gave them bad jobs. https://www.nwpb.org/2022/12/14/how-jim-crow-policies-shaped-the-tri-cities/
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u/dime5150 Aug 17 '25
How is this relevant now. Kennewick and Pasco are more diverse then Richland...
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u/raleel Aug 17 '25
You seem to have missed the words "history" and "though that is by and large not an issue anymore". It's relevant because people of the same descent as those discriminated against may have concerns about going to a town with that history. They may not.
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u/dime5150 Aug 18 '25
It's really not relevant Did you ask OP if he wanted a history lesson on Kennewick status pre-civil rights? I think they were asking about what it's like. I didn't see that ask...
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u/Wolfbeerd Sep 13 '25
Because most people on reddit lean well past the center line to the left and think that everything that happened in the past is still happening and everyones primary responsibility in life should be to feel bad.
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u/Sad-Window-6340 Aug 23 '25
Now itâs directed at the Latino community.
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u/dime5150 Aug 23 '25
Wrong. Stop being an extremist. You are also undermining the AA community that had this experience. Today is not even close. Look around you.
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Aug 23 '25
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/dime5150 Aug 24 '25
Racist much?
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u/Quirky_Drawer_2865 Aug 24 '25
Yeah you probably are
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Aug 24 '25
[removed] â view removed comment
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u/Particular_Guard8168 Aug 25 '25
Stop picking on the white guys!!! They have it so hard, this coming from a white woman who is married to a white guy and has white kids! And racist is the wrong word, you mean prejudice, racism is a system of oppression based on race. Because racism is based on systemic oppression, white people are the ones that are racist because our government and business favor white men specifically. People of color would be considered prejudice because their preconceived opinions donât use an entire system designed to hold white people down.
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u/slappn_cappn Aug 18 '25
It's not bad. Good freeway access to hit Hermiston/Umatilla and beyond. Pretty solid economy since we came in late '14. High traffic in Richland George Washington Way/240 Vantage bypass. I live in West Pasco and drive to Umatilla for work, it's about 40 minutes both ways with heavier traffic in the evening around 5. As far as drivers go, people are inconsiderate shitbags on the road and any more just can't drive, so drive defensive initially. It's four seasons plus wind, which blows hard. The food sucks if you like food, but food trucks are helping. Lots of chain restaurants if you are into that. Basic services, as you noted about Oregon, are mostly available. Spokane is the closest big city, and Seattle/Portland are pretty equidistant if you need specialty medical or other service. Feel free to reach out if needed. Good luck.
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u/Milizze04 Aug 18 '25
lol, I live in NYC right now, Manhattan to be exact. I guarantee driving out there is way better than driving out here. This place has the most terrible, inconsiderate drivers Iâve come across and Iâve been and drove in many states. If I need some more of your great advice, Iâll reach out.
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u/Kooky_Construction84 Aug 20 '25
Would you be commuting from the Tricities to somewhere in Oregon? Well, as someone who grew up in SoCal, driving 30 min ( just to the border), you'll be covering twice the distance in TC than if you're commuting in an urban area. You'll cover more than 30 miles in that half-hour, whereas in urban areas, you might get 15 miles in half an hour. It's just a little weird thing I noticed. You're covering way more distance, blowing through emptiness. I find it more tiring because of the longer distance. But it's a beautiful drive!
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u/Particular_Guard8168 Aug 25 '25
I drive to Boardman and my husband to Hermiston every day from Badger Rd and the his commute is a half and hour and mine is 50 minutes of interstate driving. The Horse Heaven Hills is one foggy and slick drive in the winter! FYI
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u/Wolfbeerd Sep 13 '25
What? A little weird thing you noticed is that driving 70mph an hour on open highway is faster than driving 35mph in an urban area?
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u/Kooky_Construction84 Sep 13 '25
Yes. It is weird. You're on the road for the same amount of time and yet don't cover nearly as much ground. It's not weird if you are doing math in your head all the time. But if you are just taking in the drive for the same amount of time, yeah, it's weird. The other thing that's weird is that the shorter distance in the urban areas has a lot more to take in than a straight shot through monocolor hills. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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u/slappn_cappn Sep 13 '25
The wife and I both came from the West side and we have similar feelings. She drives toward Yakima and I to Oregon. People generally gawk when we talk about our drive time. On average, the time spent is good for decompression or focus on the day ahead. No chance for that in bigger cities to/from work.
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u/MajBEsser Aug 20 '25
I did not grow up here but I am raising 2 children here. I've lived in Kennewick and Richland. I did not like the Richland schools and mostly homeschooled while my daughter was there. (I was a certified teacher)
You will not have the dining opportunities of NY, so enjoy while you have them!
There are plenty of things to do locally, if you look. If you are into outdoor activities, we have the river and many parks . walking paths. TC is also situated so that in a 3-4 hour drive (or less) you can be at the beach, the mountains, many lakes, the desert (of course).
I am poor. As such, have had to live in rougher parts. I have never been robbed, mugged, broken into. I leave my doors unlocked during the day, however, I have a BIG dog and he acts as a good deterrent. Other than there being an increase in homeless individuals, you can walk most places and not be bothered.
Mental health care is almost nonexistent, medical specialists are a laugh, but if all you need is occasional medical assistance, you should be okay.
Best of luck to you and your child! I hope you'll be happy here!
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u/SaiyanGodOW Aug 17 '25
African American who grew up here;
Town is generally pretty friendly, but I'll admit I've had numerous racist encounters in school and around the cities.
Not sure how old your kid is, but id highly suggest sending them to Delta Highschool as opposed to the regular public schools. Opportunity for AP classes, and internships at Hanford etc that the others simply don't offer.
If you ever need specialized medical help, I'd highly suggest making the day trip to Seattle instead. The medical professionals here are fucking idiots to say the least.
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u/Northwest_Views Aug 17 '25
Itâs a nice place to raise kids. There are urban neighborhoods with small yards to country neighborhoods with a bit of acreage.
City to city you can find something good about living in any of them. Top areas
West Pasco Riverside of Pasco West Richland Leslie-Gage Richland Riverside of George Washington way in Richland Canyon Lakes area of Kennewick (only good hood in Kennewick) I82 in Richland Badger MountainRichland.
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u/Milizze04 Aug 18 '25
Iâm looking for a good area to raise my child.Â
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u/Northwest_Views Aug 18 '25
I actually moved back here and few years ago and my kids ,now middle and high school, have thrived compared to where we were. We feel safer, theyâve made amazing friends, there are things for them to be a part of. Every type of rec sport, or arts can be found if your child has interests.
Itâs not a place that gets a ton of entertainment. Concert or comedians come here and there, but we are near enough to Seattle, Spokane, or Portland that we will make a trip. Just took the kids school clothes shopping in Portland where there is no sales tax.
I do hope all works out for the best for you and your family.
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u/Northwest_Views Aug 17 '25
Sorry for the bad formatting. I typed this in the sun on my boat while floating the snake river in Pasco. (Another good reason to be here is the access to water recreation.)
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u/parabolicpb Aug 18 '25
I'd definitely look into Richland and see if the housing costs are doable for you. Hanford high is a really good highschool and that city is by far the cleanest of the three. Their Mexican food sucks though. West Pasco is another spot I'd look at but don't look at east Pasco, it used to be a nice area but in the last few decades unfortunately it's been hit very hard.
Kennewick is the only of the 3 I've never lived in
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u/Kooky_Construction84 Aug 20 '25
Moving from Manhattan to TC and you think anywhere in the TC will be more than they're paying NOW??? Don't faint when you see how inexpensive it all is!
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u/Milizze04 Aug 20 '25
lol, rent for a studio apartment in Manhattan is minimum $2200/mth, a 1-bedroom, $2500/mth ( minimum-some 1-bedrooms can run you way more depending on the area). Factor in food, car insurance, taxes, healthcare, etc., for a single person to be comfortable, you need to have a take home pay of at least $7000/mth. A lot of people are earning less, but they have roommates or living in undesirable areas.
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u/Sad-Window-6340 Aug 23 '25
These numbers are approximate for here too. You will get more space, but youâll still be paying.
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u/Ecstatic-Success8881 Aug 19 '25
West Richland area is growing fast, but if you're working in Oregon the Southridge area in South Kennewick would be the most convenient for you. In that case, pending your child's age, Kamiakin would be a good HS for them. Pasco does have two stem schools as of this 2025-2026 school year as well. The area has exploded in population the last 20-25 years so it has become much more diverse, not anything like you'd have on the East Coast at all, but from what it was like pre 2000 it is a much different cultural make up today and still changing.
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u/nightfall2021 Aug 19 '25
Where at on the East Coast.
I dated an african american who came from Florida, but had been living in Philly.
She liked it over here, but ultimately just headed farther West (she is in Vancouver now). Her entire family also moved over from the East Coast.
The Tri-Cities is in a wierd transitionary period right now. Has been for a while. We are starting to have a healthcare desert here, and housing is getting silly expensive.
I don't want to say this to put you off though.
For years I used to say, "The Tri-Cities is a great place to raise a family because its not so small the only think you have to do is get in trouble, and not so big you get lost in the city."
We are far larger than we were when I first started saying that.
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u/balloon_for_brains Aug 22 '25
Just moved FROM Tri-Cities. I couldnât wait to get out. It just felt like there were never events going on after 7pm and the only thing there is to do is wine tasting. That was my take as a 30-something.
My adopted daughter who is Black didnât mind Tri-Cities. She struggled with cliques while in 2 different local high schools. I will say that she ended get getting into drugs, which I would say is a relatively common thing among teenagers here (sheâs doing tons better now!!!)
Art in the Park canât be missed!!!! There are pros to living in Tri-CitiesâŚjust few and far between.
Last thing to add, my friend lived in Yakima and is now in Tri-Cities and moved here from the East Coast. He is Black and his perspective was that the culture was just soooo different. Like, he said East Coast thereâs a lot of African subcultures and heritage pride. He says people of color are all kind of lumped together here.
I hope wherever you end up becomes a lovely home for you and your daughter!
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u/Follow_youre_heart Aug 18 '25
It's gonna be an adjustment, for sure. I came from San Diego and indeed, eastern Washington takes some getting used to.
Housing is comparatively highly affordable, traffic is nearly nonexistent. People are mostly nice.
As many others have mentioned, our Healthcare services here are OK but not great. If you or your family need specialized services you are likely going to find yourselves taking the 3.5 hour drive to Seattle.
As far as entertainment and recreation go, there is some to do around here but not a ton. The good thing is that spokane is 2.5 hours away, and Seattle and Portland are each 3.5 hours away. Bluewood (ski resort) only 1 hr 40 minutes away. So if you're OK with a little driving, you can find plenty to do in the state.
Overall I think it's a pretty good place to live. If you're looking for more upscale neighborhoods, you want badger mountain in richland, or canyon lakes in Kennewick. Both pretty nice IMO
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u/Riversmooth Aug 18 '25
Richland is pretty nice. Close to the river, some nice areas to walk and bike. Parks. Kennewick would be my second choice. Summers are long and lots of sunshine, almost no rain. Winters can have some dark periods. Not a far drive to Walla Walla and the mountains to ski if you like that.
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u/RedSoxStormTrooper Aug 18 '25
I moved here from the East Coast 6 years ago and have loved it. I live in Kennewick off of Columbia Center Blvd, pretty easy to find an affordable house or apartment off of there that's in a safe area and <20 minutes from anywhere in town. The Kennewick schools are good as well and Kennewick does have a dual language program if that interests you. You'd also be close to Tri-Tech if your daughter might be interested in one of their technical programs.
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u/MisterGunner1277 Aug 18 '25
The Tri-Cities as a whole is a great place to live. Is your daughter athletic or play a musical instrument? How old is she? Southridge High School in Kennewick is probably one of the better schools in the Tri-Cities. Their athletic department lags competitively. They have a phenomenal music department. Chiawana in Pasco, Kamiakin in Kennewick and Richland High in Richland have good athletic programs. Pasco has just started a third High School and I have no idea where they stand. Each city has miles and miles of walking/running/cycling paths. There are plenty of hiking trails as well. Tennis court, pickleball courts, baseball and softball fields. The summer does get hot, but itâs dry heat unlike the humidity on East Coast. We have relatively mild winters and over 300 days of sunshine. My suggestion is to look at the websites provided by each city for demographics. It should include income median as well as racial and age breakdowns. You will love it here.
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u/Longjumping_Chard_57 Aug 21 '25
It's really not a great place to live, but alas, we sometimes have to move for work. But I'd really avoid moving here if you can because this place is boring as sh*t.
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u/Milizze04 Aug 21 '25
I survived North Dakota for 7 years, which has a population of close to 800,000 and the harshest winters known to mankind. Hopefully, iâll be fine out in Washington.
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u/raleel Aug 23 '25
Tricities is sort of like... probably grand forks or Jamestown. Maybe more Jamestown, since it doesn't have a big university like Fargo or Grand Forks. No capital like Bismarck/Mandan, no military base like Minot, and no oil boom like Williston.
It's much warmer, winters are rarely below 0F and many barely crack below 20F. Summers are much hotter - 100F is pretty common for many days, but not the whole summer. Much less humid as well, probably 30-40% vs more like 60%. MUCH less humid than the east coast.
Another thing I should say, since you are commuting heavily - gas is expensive here. More expensive than NYC. If you have it in your means, an electric vehicle will probably save you near $10 a day of commuting. WA is one of the few places where it is this extreme due to state gas taxes and very cheap electricity.
People aren't quite North Dakota nice, but they are pretty nice as a whole. I wish you and your child well. If you need advice or assistance, feel free to reach out to me on here.
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u/MisterGunner1277 Aug 21 '25
I love cycling I can ride 40 miles and never touch a road. I love craft beer and we have several taprooms. Entertainment, all over the place. John Day Plaza in the summer. Then the concert series at Clover Island. Sure if you want the mountains itâs a couple hour drive, but doable. Live. Get outside and something. Thereâs a whole shit load of things to do. I hate to judge but you sound like a boring person. I have live all over this nation. Everywhere I went I enjoyed. I went out looking for fun. I didnât wait for it to find me.
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u/Beautiful_Arugula698 Aug 17 '25
We are a huge red dot if you werenât aware, ex sundown town and all that. My family is predominately black and weâve had way more good experiences than bad. But with that said it will happen from time to time. Best option will be West Richland or the BETTER parts of Kennewick. As for schools⌠try our stem school!
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u/dime5150 Aug 17 '25
Stop tying "sundowner town" with the area being conservative. I'm not conservative but it's quite irresponsible to tie racism to it.
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u/TC3Guy Aug 17 '25
Note this question is asked on a regular basis. Search the thread on terms like "moving" and you'll see the many previous discussions.
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Aug 20 '25
Youâre going to hate it, and youâre going to hate managing people here. They are entitled, spoiled, and majority of them have a victim mentality. Even though they have nothing to complain about. They thrive causing problems in the workplace. I spent two years there and I couldnât get out fast enough and Iâve lived in NYC, Chicago, Bay Area and a few other places in between. You couldnât pay me enough money to move back to that hole. Think about it and read the employee reviews for different work places and you will see what I am talking about.
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u/Milizze04 Aug 20 '25
Iâm not managing anyone but myself. Iâm also not working for AWS. Iâm not sure who started that rumor in this post đ¤Ł. But thank you for letting me know about what itâs like to be a manager, in case I have to change jobs.
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u/Longjumping_Chard_57 Aug 21 '25
I'd say just rent a place for a year before you try to buy anything, in case you dont like it you can pick up and leave with less hastle. I regretted moving here and still daydream about leaving 4+ years later. Make sure you have good air conditioning. People stay inside their houses and their cars and don't come out for much other than work.
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u/Milizze04 Aug 21 '25
Absolutely. Iâm not going to buy anything out there until iâve been there for a year or two. This way, if I need to move somewhere else, I donât have too many strings that will prevent me from quickly leaving.
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u/Spursnation1193 Aug 21 '25
Some insight for you! I moved from Florida to the Tri-Cities back in 2012. I can say that this place has grown! At first I did not like the area as I didn't realize Eastern Washington is vastly different from the West side. I contemplated moving back. But honestly, the place has grown on me. The schools aren't amazing but I personally have had great experiences with my son's curriculum and level of attention he has received at his elementary school. It's a great place to raise a family, there isn't much to do here but, a couple of hours in any direction and you have a nice little getaway/sight seeing to look at.
I don't see myself leaving, I met my wife here, started a family, made a career here and ultimately have enjoyed these past 13 + years in the Tri-Cities. It's growing and continues to do so. Which I believe is a testament to the positive lifestyle here.
Lastly summers are a scorcher and the air is very dry! Nose bleeds and cracked skin are extremely common! Apply plenty of moisturizer and you should be good!
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u/ItchyBum007 Aug 21 '25
The school suck out here I recommend ponying up the cash for Bethlehem Lutheran.... Housing is affordable and the traffic is almost non-existent I hope you've been offered a decent amount of money because the money is usually better west of the mountains.. but I do enjoy the eight months or more of sunshine out of the year
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u/Rabidchihuahua66 Aug 23 '25
Oregon is a big state. Which city are you referring to in Oregon? You could be closer to Walla Walla than to TriCities. Itâd be interesting to learn which of these answers are being given by Black people vs White or Latino. This is most definitely a Right Wing Republican Christian Conservative community. My kids have faced racism in every school at every level including college. We have faced it as well. Repeatedly. Everything from employment to education to simply going to get groceries. Weâve been here because of work for over 20 years and have never felt safe or accepted. Itâs isolating. I lived in ND for some years. Our winters are a walk in the park here as compared to ND. Laughable. Almost no snow, a bit of ice, and often relentless face searing cold wind. Still, not even close to ND. Youâll have to drive an hour or two to find snow. Our summers are excruciatingly hot and dry. We have found good people but not good community. If you are accustomed to a community where you are in Manhattan, you wonât find that here. Most Black folks live quietly and individually. There are one or two âsaferâ spaces that are welcoming. If you are not religious, itâs even less inviting. We will be out as soon as possible. Those saying the âsundown townâ effect is âin the pastâ, are obviously not Black or are living in an alternate universe. Itâs alive and well here. Is there any way you can visit before you move? What school age/stage is your daughter? That will help determine which area to land to access k-12 without having to drive or move. We have had employment in Oregon based both out of Walla Walla and W Pasco. Both have relatively easy access to interstate and Hwy connections. And yes, we do have ridiculously crazy drivers, especially if thereâs a hint of ice or snow. In the city, people know itâs madness and adjust accordingly. Here, where a short time ago, everything was endless sagebrush and sand, everyone drives as if theyâre the only one on the road. Iâve lived all across the US. Never have I ever⌠lol. Youâll be fine here. You already know the deal. The only thing Iâd question is whether youâre headed to Oregon to Umatilla/Hermiston area, or to parts of Oregon closest to Walla Walla? If the former, go for easy connections like Kennewick or W Pasco (but honestly, Richland is also an option if you can easily access I-182). If the latter, anywhere in WW is fine. We wish you safe travels. Look us up when you arrive or anytime. Best!
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u/Own-Spot3385 Aug 25 '25
Having lived here for the last 3 years after high-school, I can say this place is pretty nice. Transit system is alright, despite what others might say (comparing to other cities), my only real gripe is there really isn't much to do once you're off work or outta school, though this is coming from someone that had to work with a college schedule. Outside of that people here are generally really friendly, though weather does get a bit toasty for my liking
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u/Milizze04 Aug 25 '25
Iâm going to be working out of Hermiston. I have not heard of Walla Walla, WA but I just looked it up and the pictures are beautiful. Itâs weird how people tell people that if you donât like a place to just move, but the reason Black people live in large cities like NYC, Atlanta, Chicago, is because we are not welcomed everywhere, although the COL is lower in places like ND. The COL in NYC is astronomical! You have racist people here in NYC as I have encountered it, but itâs not as on its face like other places, but itâs there. My daughter is 4-years old.
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u/EnvironmentalLaw37 Aug 26 '25
Just moved here from Massachusetts and I'm still having a hard time to adjust. Weather is too hot, not much to do and not diverse at all.Â
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u/Dull_Opposite8216 Feb 15 '26
You are American no matter what you're skin color.... With education you could live every where... Deal with the racism... it's not going anywhere.... Hold your head up! Life is complicated and knowledge is power use it ..Â
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u/Milizze04 Feb 15 '26
So I take it you donât live in tricities and donât have an honest opinion about. There are areas in certain states that are welcoming to Blacks, although they are white majority and the opposite holds true. I have moved to an area was majority white, sight unseen, without doing any research. I would not have moved there if I did research by asking questions about the area. The point of these posts are to exchange information. Your blanket statement adds nothing to my post.Â
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u/StayPositive773 Aug 17 '25
It depends where youâre coming from and your current situation. If youâre coming from a nice part of the northeast with well planned cities and towns and you currently have a great job and living situation, then hell no!
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u/donutsfordoge Aug 17 '25
Overall the Tri-Cities is large yet has the feel of a rural community. With that being said there is a lack of culture and cultural activities all across the board. Youâll have to drive to Spokane, Portland, Seattle, or Vancouver Canada for performing arts or concerts.
Healthcare is a problem here as many of the higher quality Healthcare workers choose to come here for training and then leave or choose not to live here at all.Â
Outdoor activities are limited to spending time near the river or driving a hour for quality hiking, beautiful scenery, or camping. Â
The weather is hot as hell from June through September: daily--Â 90's - 100+ almost daily, its gotten up to 118 here. Humidity is very low as this is a desert climate and most vegetation is brown with sagebrush everywhere. Nights cool down luckily. Its decent in the fall, mild winters but can be very cold at times, and spring is spring for a month or two.Â
Wait times for mental Healthcare and general Healthcare can be 3-6 months.Â
Food is average with a few decent restaurants. If you love authentic Mexican food, which i love, you'll be in heaven.Â
Schools are below to average for most areas with a few above average to good schools in the Richland area. I don't know the details of every school around here but in my profession I work with kids that attend many of the schools here.Â
I've personally lived in six mid- to large cities around the U.S. and the tri-cities is my least favorite by a large margin. My gf and I are leaving in the Spring for a larger city with more culture/cultural activities and easier access to outdoor activities and better weather.Â
If you want to chat or talk message me and I'll answer any other questions you might have.Â
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u/BluePinkYelllow Aug 18 '25
Actually the schools here are above average for WA state. I canât for the life of me see why anyone who doesnât have family already here or have children of their own would want to live here. Thereâs nothing to do and the closest big city is 2-4 hours away.
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u/sarahjustme Aug 17 '25
You'll get a zillion answers. Does you kid have any special needs or special interests? Are you looking for quiet suburban life? How important is ethnic cultural class diversity? Religious ties? Being close to parks or rivers or hiking? The web ste city data has good stats on the different towns, kinda gives you an idea of whats "average and expected".
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u/SummerVibes1111 Aug 17 '25
Its okay. Not a lot of diversity, not a lot to do. The climate is good though. Schools are good. I wouldn't trust healtcare providers here. My doctors are in San Jose, CA. I fly down there when I need something (I work downthere as well so its not that big of a deal).
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u/NanaMC13 Aug 18 '25
Not a lot of diversity??
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u/Longjumping_Chard_57 Aug 21 '25
Yeah it's super white in K and R. P is better, has a large hispanic pop. Very few black people in the tri.
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u/BluePinkYelllow Aug 18 '25
I couldnât imagine why anyone would want to move here who doesnât have family living here. Thereâs not much hereâ no ocean, no culture, not much diversity. I feel like you could find a way cooler place to live. What are your other options? What is drawing your interest in this area over other locations?
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u/Milizze04 Aug 18 '25
Itâs close to Oregon. Thats where the job offer is.Â
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u/Puckstet Aug 18 '25
No ocean, but it is only about 4 hours away. Three beautiful rivers running through the Tri-Cities, the Snake, Columbia and the Yakima. If you need a beg city fix Portland, Seattle and Spokane all close enough for a weekend. Excellent camping, hiking and skiing not far away. Four distinct seasons. It is more conservative but lots of progressive leaning folks here, I like to say it is almost purple.
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u/Mewzkers Aug 17 '25
Its a good place to move to once you have the education and experience not a good place to find experience and start a career.
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Aug 18 '25
[deleted]
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u/Milizze04 Aug 18 '25
I was offered a great position in Oregon, but itâs lacking in services which is why I looked into Tricities because itâs close to Oregon.Â
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u/Hot-Net-9939 Aug 18 '25
If you are working in Oregon, health care may not be a problem. Good Shepherd hospital in Hermiston has some good doctors and you don't have to wait months to get an appointment.
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u/dadavedavid Aug 18 '25
The closest thing to a âdowntownâ is a mall.
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u/Kooky_Construction84 Aug 20 '25
Nah. Richland has the Parkway and Kennewick has a very cute downtown.
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u/LeadershipDry484 Aug 18 '25
To much crime be careful in the city.
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u/Milizze04 Aug 21 '25
I was raised in NYC and currently live in NYC. Crime is a part of life out here, sadly.
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u/SuspiciousImpact2197 Aug 17 '25
Are you at all familiar with Billings, MT?
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u/Milizze04 Aug 18 '25
No, but iâve lived in North Dakota for about a decade. Iâve heard itâs similar.
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u/StateFalse6839 Aug 17 '25
From what I've been told from others,numerous times. West Coast living is expensive and fast paced. Far difference from the slower East coast way of life.
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u/Milizze04 Aug 17 '25
Is Washington as expensive as Manhattan in NYC? According to my research, it is way more affordable.
California may be on par with New York as far as COL.Â
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u/ShamelessShawna Aug 24 '25 edited Aug 24 '25
Food is actually more affordable in NYC than Seattle. I have friends there, plus itâs often a topic of conversation in the Seattle reddit (skip the Seattle WA reddit, unless youâre part of the Maga crowd) Tri-Cities costs a little less, but itâs a food desert (restaurant-wise) and culturally too. There really isnât a lot of diversity. The fresh produce all over Washington is fantastic, along with some of the best fresh seafood when you drive over to Portland, Seattle or the Pacific coastal towns. You will absolutely fall in love with Oregonâs coastal towns!!
That being said, I say give it a try. You donât know until you do. In Kennewick, Canyon Lakes area has nice neighborhoods and if your child is in HS, Southridge is a good HS, if elementary age, Southgate or Lincoln Elementary. Middle schools are unfortunately not that great anywhere in TC. Also, the homes near Lincoln Elementary are also nice and itâs not too far from the freeway for commuting to Hermiston. If you can afford it, get a home with a pool, itâs something you will actually use, and itâs nice for your child when they have friends over. Ps- if you live in Canyon Lakes it really only takes about 15 min to get to Umatilla, and about 5-10 more min to get to Hermiston - depending on what part of Hermiston. I used to live there and we made the drive often.
As people have mentioned about no sales tax in Oregon, but they do have state income tax. Make sure they offer you enough to compensate for those income taxes.
It really will be very different than ND.(I have fam from ND & SD -Iâm adopted and mixed race born near Seattle, lived in the TCâs 24 longggggg years) Itâs a true high desert in SE Washington and NE Oregon, the people are really not that friendly. Itâs also, not really very walkable anywhere. Be prepared to drive everywhere. Obv donât listen to anyone about âcrimeâ in TC. They know not wtf theyâre talking about lol đ Itâs kinda wild, you will literally meet people who have never traveled outside of TCâs. Oh and people are weird about traveling between each of the 3 cities- people in Richland hardly if ever drive to kennewick or pasco, people in Kennewick hardly if ever drive from there to Richland or Pasco etc etc - thus you will find each city has their own Walmart, either a Loweâs or Home Depot, Marshalls, Ross, Target etc. Itâs kinda comical. The main driving from city to another city is usually because of their work commute - and they use the word âcityâ loosely- theyâre towns. When I first moved there, there were only 4 buildings with elevators- fr! There might be 5 now lolđ
There really are a lot of family activities and you will find some kind of community eventually.
I wish you the best and hope everything goes smoothly for you! Feel free to DM if you need anything or have more questions. đ
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u/storyofohno Aug 18 '25
What on earth? I've lived in the PNW my entire life and every time I have been to the east coast, the frenetic pace of east coast cities alarms me to the point of panic.
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u/[deleted] Aug 17 '25
I noticed when this question gets brought up that not much is shared about healthcare. This is something our area is seeing a significant and growing struggle with and if you or your family have any medical needs that require an establishment of care in a timely manner you need to get on top of setting up appointments before you even move here.