Anybody from Richland? (Seattle, Kennewick, Pasco: crime, hotel, new home)

[leavingcarolina]

Hi, my husband is trying to relocate with the us dept of energy. We live in SC (he works at dept of energy here)now and we really want to head west.
We are looking at both idaho falls, and richland wa. Any body can give me info on richland would be appreciated!!Thank you

[meejmom]

Kennewick is Richland's neighbor. Richland is a nice city. But all of Eastern WA is desert (steppe, actually). The Columbia River is a pleasant diversion. I enjoyed growing up in the Tri-Cities. However, it's not the most scenic place to live. Schools are decent, maybe slightly above average for the state. I would prefer the location to ID Falls, just because you're closer to Seattle and pretty much everything West Coast. ID Falls is pretty tucked away, and COLD! Which brings me to climate. I personally love wind, but if you don't, TC could be a bummer. Otherwise, if you like sun and don't like rain, it's definitely for you. Good luck. Winters are mild with 2-3 day stretches of cold and snow. We get chinook winds (very warm) that come almost religiously after any snow storm and melt everything in a day or two. It's very unique. No long, drawn-out winters there. SO, bottom line: it's a great place to live, minus spectacular scenery. Good luck.

Meej Mom C; C%

[leachz]

If you dont mind living in the desert, then this is a decent area. Richland is a neighboring city to Kennewick and Pasco (and West Richland!), so you do not necessarily need to limit your research to Kennewick. It gets hot in the summer, and cold in the winter. It is not unusual for temperatures to get into the 100's. It is also not unusual to get a decent amount of snow in the winter.

Here are a couple links that will give you more information about the area:

http://www.visittri-cities.com/

links removed

[rambrush]

Born and raised there, yes the wind blows a bit. It gets warm but the rivers running through the area makes it not so bad. There are times when they spray for Mosquitos general fogging that can be over bearing but its usually done at night.
You can look at property in Badger canyon or Benton City if you are looking for more rural setting.
There are several subdivisons in the West Richland area in what used to be called the Bombing Range road area as well.

[leachz]

Just curious as to why the other links in my post were removed? Did I break a rule or something? If so, I apologize...

[mom2gurls]

wow..what a thread..only becuase I thought no one had every heard of tri cities...before growing up in so cal, I spent my young childhood in kennewick...went vista ridge elementry..and then gosh...there was a new elementry school built in the 80's and transfered there, went to desert hills middle school and would have gone to kamikan..dont even know how to spell it....but I think I had the best parts of my childhood in kennewick...which is why ironically we are trying to leave ny for the carolinas!

Mind you this was in the late 70's and 80's when I was there..and I still remember the biggest deal in town was when the water park opened up, or how we all looked forward to the fair comming into town at the columbia center mall....still remember we live like 2 miles from it..one side was ernst hardware, one side was bon marche and the other side was JC pennys....and there was a family fitness center there too..

Ahhh those were thedays... when me and my friends would take a bus and go to pasco for tennis lessons..just pop on a bus and go..I am sure the towns have all grown tremedously..still remember going to a wedding..was it the four clover hotel in pasco?

LOL..talk about good times

[clydegifford]

I was born in kansas and moved to Grand Coulee Dam in 1941 to the Richland -Y in 1947 and Benton City in 1951. Went into the army 1956 and have lived in Richland(where I live know)Kennewick, & Pasco. I've lived in chicago, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, California, Oregon, Montana, South, Dakota and short periods in several other states and there is nowhere that compares to the Tri-Cities for all-a-round Weather. It is A small town setting which is growing fast. You can live in any of a small town or rurally and still go to the bigger cities with out driving to far. I was a long haul driver so have seen most of the U.S.. Give me the North West anytime!!!!!

[mustang34]

"SO, bottom line: it's a great place to live, minus spectacular scenery. Good luck." -Quoted from meejmom

Actually we have gorgeous sunsets in the Tri-Cities which I think factors to
"spectacular scenery".
Oh! No one has said much about Pasco!
West Pasco is very accessible to Richland, and, as said by leachz, Pasco is a neighbor.
There are lots of new homes in West Pasco(not seperate from the city of Pasco), as well as Kennewick and West Richland.

[Moon Waffle]

Originally from Richland, now I live in Pasco after a brief stint (8 years) in the Seattle area.

The Tri-Cities is really a great place that is hard to beat. Jobs pay well, cost of living is cheap which leads to a lot of disposable income.

The weather is great. Scenery can be a bit bland, but the Columbia River is the jewel of the area and the cities are finally starting to realize this and take advantage of it.

Neighborhoods (less the far, far east of Pasco and Kennewick) are generally safe, clean, and very family friendly.

People are very slow-paced which can be good or bad depending on what you prefer.

The only real drawback is that the area doesn't have much to offer culturally. However, Seattle and Portland are less than 4 hours away. And Walla Walla has recently become a very cool little town to visit for a weekend retreat (only about 1 hour away).

Finally, if your deicision is coming down to Richland vs. Idaho Falls, don't forget - Washington has no state income tax!

[triselmore]

This place is Paradise. I compare it to San Diego as far as terrain goes minus the palms. I am from the West-side of Washington originally and I believe the schools in South Richland cannot be beat!!!

I live in Hills West and many who work at DOE live here. (Good contact to ask about Hills West/Heritage Hills at DOE would be Shirley Olinger-she is in HR there, I believe?)

Also consider Sundance Ridge, Heritage Hills,Country Heights, Sagewood Meadows, Brookshire, Leslie Canyon, Meadow Springs, Crested Hills, Willowbrook and willowbrook heights if you can afford it, the Orchards is up an coming, are all very nice developments. Also, Country view, country glen, the Vineyards, Applewood, Cherrywood and below crested hills-can't think of it's name. You will want your kiddo's in White Bluffs El or Badger El., no doubt about it.

Wiley El. is great, too, but W. Richland has been having crime issues as of late.