Tri-Cities approaching 300K (Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma: apartment, construction, college)

[grega94]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

Thanks for those numbers.

I agree, Boise is outperforming Tri-Cities at this point. But TC is no slouch here, either. The last year shows the biggest percentage since 2010, and the overall percentage continues to be strong. Houses continue to be built at record levels, and they still seem to be selling very quickly in the TC.

yeah I'm actually surprised at how fast TC is growing compared to previous years, a very big spike this year, and growing at a faster rate than Seattle metro which grew by 1.7% last year, about as fast as Spokane. And I'm guessing TC will only grow faster as more people get priced out of Seattle and Portland. The only thing that will be holding TC back is the lack of a urban town center. There is a huge trend these days for people to move to urban locations, or at least live as near by to one as possible, Which is why I think in the long run Spokane and Bend will attract more people since they have urban bones. Do you know if TC has any plans to build an urban center, perhaps somewhere on the waterfront, something similar in scale to what Vancouver, WA is building?

[pnwguy2]

Not really, but see my above post about 8,000 new homes and condos in West Pasco. The developers are promising a new style of development, but only time will tell. Right now, for all intents and purposes, the urban center of the area is Columbia Center Blvd in West Kennewick, which houses Columbia Center Mall, the largest in Eastern Washington, but with a new purpose just a half mile to the east for the remake of the old Kennewick Vista airport site. They are imagining a new urban village here with dense (atleast for TC) housing and new retail.

http://www.nbcrightnow.com/story/370...e-in-kennewick

[pnwguy2]

There are indications that the metro population is now already at the 300K mark. The growth is explosive and anywhere you look there is new construction. This is by far the biggest growth pattern in TC history.

The Mid-Columbia's growing economy is making it harder to find a place to live | Tri-City Herald

[Frihed89]

This is an interesting thread. I lived in the Tri-Cities during the 80s, first in Kennewick and then West Richland. I worked for PNNL (then, just PNL). I haven't been back since. I left right after the pro-nuclear movement became pro-cleanup, a huge sea-change.

But this summer my wife and I will be spending a night there on our way from Marysville to the Willowas in Eastern OR.

I hardly know what to expect.

[pnwguy2]

Expect to be surprised. Biggest changes since the 80’s:

West Pasco
Richland Queensgate/Keene Rd
West Richland
Kennewick Southridge
Kennewick South Steptoe
Horn Rapids
Gage Blvd

[pittsflyer]

I am putting my application together right now for PNNL and if offered a good job would move to Richland. Alaska is dying economically.

[grega94]

2017 city population estimates are in, here are the stats for the three main cities.

2017 | 2016 | Change | %
Kennewick: 81,607 | 80,454 | +1,153 | +1.4%
Pasco: 73,013 | 70,579 | +2,434 | +3.4%
Richland: 56,243 | 54,989 | +1,254 | +2.3%
Total: 210,863 | 206,022 | +4,841 | +2.3%

List of Largest cities in WA with Tri-cities as one city.

2017 | 2016 | Change | %
1. Seattle: 724,745 | 707,255 | +17,490 | +2.5%
2. Spokane: 217,108 | 215,114 | +1,994 | +0.9%
3. Tacoma: 213,418 | 210,304 | +3,114 | +1.5%
4. Tri-Cities: 210,863 | 206,022 | +4,841 | +2.3%
5. Vancouver: 175,673 | 173,957 | +1,716 | +1.0%
6. Bellevue: 144,444 | 141,249 | +3,195 | +2.3%
7. Kent: 128,458 | 127,694 | +764 | +0.6%
8. Everett: 110,079 | 108,974 | +1,105 | +1.0%
9. Renton: 101,379 | 101,142 | +237 | +0.2%
10. Spokane Valley: 97,847 | 95,851 | +1,996 | +2.1%
11. Federal Way: 96,690 | 96,775 | -85 | -0.0%
12. Yakima: 93,667 | 93,476 | +191 | +0.2%

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/...xhtml?src=bkmk

*2017 | 2016 | Change | %
West Richland: 14,596 | 14,204 | +392 | +2.8%
Tri-Cities (Quad-Cities?): 225,459 | 220,226 | +5,233 | +2.4%

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by grega94

2017 city population estimates are in, here are the stats for the three main cities.

2017 | 2016 | Change | %
Kennewick: 81,607 | 80,454 | +1,153 | +1.4%
Pasco: 73,013 | 70,579 | +2,434 | +3.4%
Richland: 56,243 | 54,989 | +1,254 | +2.3%
Total: 210,863 | 206,022 | +4,841 | +2.3%

List of Largest cities in WA with Tri-cities as one city.

2017 | 2016 | Change | %
1. Seattle: 724,745 | 707,255 | +17,490 | +2.5%
2. Spokane: 217,108 | 215,114 | +1,994 | +0.9%
3. Tacoma: 213,418 | 210,304 | +3,114 | +1.5%
4. Tri-Cities: 210,863 | 206,022 | +4,841 | +2.3%
5. Vancouver: 175,673 | 173,957 | +1,716 | +1.0%
6. Bellevue: 144,444 | 141,249 | +3,195 | +2.3%
7. Kent: 128,458 | 127,694 | +764 | +0.6%
8. Everett: 110,079 | 108,974 | +1,105 | +1.0%
9. Renton: 101,379 | 101,142 | +237 | +0.2%
10. Spokane Valley: 97,847 | 95,851 | +1,996 | +2.1%
11. Federal Way: 96,690 | 96,775 | -85 | -0.0%
12. Yakima: 93,667 | 93,476 | +191 | +0.2%

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/...xhtml?src=bkmk

*2017 | 2016 | Change | %
West Richland: 14,596 | 14,204 | +392 | +2.8%
Tri-Cities (Quad-Cities?): 225,459 | 220,226 | +5,233 | +2.4%

Thanks for those numbers.

I think a 1-year 3.4% increase in Pasco is impressive. But if you drive through the I-182 corridor you will see that new homes are sprouting up everywhere. I would predict this growth rate will continue for this year, and next.

Richland is also strong at 2.3%. Again, you can see the new development popping up, moreso in retail/entertainment in Queensgate.

Kennewick a bit slower, but still growing. Check out Southridge, and general South Kennewick, along the new Bob Olson Parkway. New homes are filling in from I-82 up to the parkway.

West Richland at 2.8% continues to shine. New homes filling up quickly to the west. W. Richland needs to keep up with retail/restaurants or otherwise will become dependent on Queensgate in Richland.

[grega94]

2018 numbers are in, here are the largest metro areas in the inland northwest.

Metro: 2017 | 2018 | Change | Percentage
Boise: 709,845 | 730,426 | +20,581 | +2.90%
Spokane: 564,236 | 573,493 | +9,260 | +1.64%
Tri Cities: 290,296 | 296,224 | +5,928 | +2.04%
Yakima: 250,193 | 251,446 | +1,253 | +0.50%
Bend: 186,875 | 191,996 | +5,121 | +2.74%
Coeur d'Alene: 157,637 | 161,505 | +3,868 | +2.45%
Idaho Falls: 145,643 | 148,904 | +3,261 | +2.24%
Wenatchee: 118,478 | 119,943 | +1,465 | +1.24%
Pocatello: 85,269 | 87,138 | +1,869 | +2.19%
Walla Walla: 64,614 | 64,981 | +367 | +0.57%
Lewiston: 62,920 | 63,018 | +98 | +0.16%

Metro: 2016 | 2017 | Change | Percentage
Boise: 690,810 | 709,845 | +19,035 | +2.76%
Spokane: 554,777 | 564,236 | +9,459 | +1.71%
Tri Cities: 283,799 | 290,296 | +6,497 | +2.29%
Yakima: 249,323 | 250,193 | +870 | +0.35%
Bend: 180,675 | 186,875 | +6,200 | +3.43%
Coeur d'Alene: 153,144 | 157,637 | +4,493 | +2.93%
Idaho Falls: 142,405 | 145,643 | +3,238 | +2.27%
Wenatchee: 117,240 | 118,478 | +1,238 | +1.06%
Pocatello: 84,379 | 85,269 | +890 | +1.05%
Walla Walla: 63,989 | 64,614 | +625 | +0.98%
Lewiston: 62,406 | 62,920 | +514 | +0.82%

This is probably the year that the Tri-cities metro area crosses the 300K mark.

[pnwguy2]

Originally Posted by grega94

2018 numbers are in, here are the largest metro areas in the inland northwest.

Metro: 2017 | 2018 | Change | Percentage
Boise: 709,845 | 730,426 | +20,581 | +2.90%
Spokane: 564,236 | 573,493 | +9,260 | +1.64%
Tri Cities: 290,296 | 296,224 | +5,928 | +2.04%
Yakima: 250,193 | 251,446 | +1,253 | +0.50%
Bend: 186,875 | 191,996 | +5,121 | +2.74%
Coeur d'Alene: 157,637 | 161,505 | +3,868 | +2.45%
Idaho Falls: 145,643 | 148,904 | +3,261 | +2.24%
Wenatchee: 118,478 | 119,943 | +1,465 | +1.24%
Pocatello: 85,269 | 87,138 | +1,869 | +2.19%
Walla Walla: 64,614 | 64,981 | +367 | +0.57%
Lewiston: 62,920 | 63,018 | +98 | +0.16%

Metro: 2016 | 2017 | Change | Percentage
Boise: 690,810 | 709,845 | +19,035 | +2.76%
Spokane: 554,777 | 564,236 | +9,459 | +1.71%
Tri Cities: 283,799 | 290,296 | +6,497 | +2.29%
Yakima: 249,323 | 250,193 | +870 | +0.35%
Bend: 180,675 | 186,875 | +6,200 | +3.43%
Coeur d'Alene: 153,144 | 157,637 | +4,493 | +2.93%
Idaho Falls: 142,405 | 145,643 | +3,238 | +2.27%
Wenatchee: 117,240 | 118,478 | +1,238 | +1.06%
Pocatello: 84,379 | 85,269 | +890 | +1.05%
Walla Walla: 63,989 | 64,614 | +625 | +0.98%
Lewiston: 62,406 | 62,920 | +514 | +0.82%

This is probably the year that the Tri-cities metro area crosses the 300K mark.

Thanks for keeping these numbers up to date. I agree, the 300K will officially come next year, but let us define what we are talking about: The definition of The Tri-Cities MSA is Benton and Franklin Counties. While that not be fair, (Prosser vs. Burbank...interesting thoughts on that with Prosser being part of the metro, and Burbank, closer, not), but it all kind of washes out. I predicted somewhere in this thread that 2020 would be the year, and unless there is a major change, it will indeed be 2020.

Something to keep in mind, however, is population is slowing somewhat, (still strong), but predictions for the next two years seem to be slowing population growth. (Many areas would be happy with this growth, however). The market has grown so much that the danger of a bubble increases, though many in the Real Estate biz don't think this will occur, just a usual slowdown. Price increases have gone up about 10% per year since 2015. Most expect those increases to be below that in 2019 and 2020, but still healthy.