The Town FilesBasin City, Washington
Community in Franklin County · population 1,063 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $59,840
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 86°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 27.5
Basin City is a community of 1,063 people in Franklin County, Washington. It ranks easier by car than 84% of Washington towns, more of a college town than 80% of Washington towns.
How Basin City ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
75.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Basin City | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $475,000 |
| Median rent | — | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $59,840 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 75.4% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Basin City
| People | Basin City | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 9.5% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 39.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.1% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 0.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 55.7% | — |
| Work from home | 16.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Basin City
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 26.9°F. About 10.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 23 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 106 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Basin City since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on April 23, 1983 about 8.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 23, 1983.
Severe weather in Franklin County since 1996
Franklin County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| February 4, 2021 | Fire | DR-4584: Wildfires And Straight-Line Winds |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
| April 21, 2017 | Flood | DR-4309: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Franklin County
Franklin County had 37,554 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $57,266 a year. Unemployment was 5.7% in 2023; in Basin City itself the ACS puts it at 25.9%.
Towns near Basin City
- Connell, WA15.8 mi · 5,441 people · home $313,600
- Othello, WA16.2 mi · 8,549 people · home $290,700
- Richland, WA21.9 mi · 60,560 people · home $436,700
- West Richland, WA22.0 mi · 16,295 people · home $448,300
- Pasco, WA22.4 mi · 77,108 people · home $376,300
- West Pasco, WA23.2 mi · 1,747 people · home $470,100
- Warden, WA26.6 mi · 2,449 people · home $189,900
- Kennewick, WA27.1 mi · 83,921 people · home $370,700
Basin City questions
Is Basin City, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Basin City scores better for retirees than 14% of Washington towns and quieter than 38%. 9.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.5).
What is the weather like in Basin City?
July highs average 86.2°F and January lows 26.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 10.0 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Basin City get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Basin City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on April 23, 1983. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)