Home Affordability in Benton County, WA
A typical home in Benton County is worth $448,538, up 0.4% year over year. The effective property tax rate is 0.79% of value, and the 2026 conforming loan limit here is $832,750 — borrow more than that and you need a jumbo loan.
Open the calculator for Benton County Free, instant, no signup
Assumes housing costs stay at 33% of gross income — the sustainable middle, not the maximum a lender would approve. A typical home in Benton County costs $448,538. Rates as of 5 September 2026; they move weekly and your quote will differ.
What each income buys here
| Household income | Conventional | VA | Zero-down CU | FHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $326,000 | $269,000 | $247,000 | $263,000 |
| $100,000 | $444,000 | $367,000 | $336,000 | $359,000 |
| $125,000 | $562,000 | $464,000 | $426,000 | $454,000 |
| $150,000 | $680,000 | $562,000 | $515,000 | $549,000 |
| $200,000 | $917,000 | $757,000 | $694,000 | $740,000 |
Conventional assumes 20% down. VA and credit-union 100% financing assume zero down with the funding fee financed into the loan; FHA assumes 3.5% down with mortgage insurance for the life of the loan. All hold housing at 33% of gross income and cap total debt at the program’s underwriting limit.
Towns in Benton County
| Town | Typical home | Year over year | Income needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick | $431,000 | +0.6% | $97,000 | Details |
| Richland | $466,478 | +0.3% | $105,000 | Details |
| Sunnyside | $320,990 | +0.8% | $74,000 | Details |
| West Richland | $494,635 | -0.1% | $111,000 | Details |
| Prosser | $419,707 | 0% | $95,000 | Details |
| Benton City | $431,958 | +1.1% | $97,000 | Details |
The cheapest places in the county are Sunnyside ($321K), Prosser ($420K), Kennewick ($431K).
How the zero-down math actually works
Putting nothing down does not simply move the down payment to zero — it costs you twice. Zero-down programs price above conventional, and they finance a funding fee into the balance, so you start out owing more than the house cost. In Benton County that difference is worth roughly $165K of purchasing power at a $150,000 income.
The exception is the VA loan. If anyone on the loan is Active Duty, Reserve, or a Veteran, it prices below conventional and charges no mortgage insurance — and the funding fee is waived entirely with any VA disability rating. It is almost always the cheapest zero-down option, and it is worth about $47K more house than a credit-union 100% loan here.