Understand
Kennewick and the greater Tri-Cities region draws a great deal of their cultural influence from having a past that was heavily enriched by the Cold War. In nearby Richland, the Hanford Nuclear Site is the home to many historical landmarks, as well as the world's first full scale nuclear reactor. The atomic bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan in 1945 contained Hanford produced plutonium. Today, the nuclear site has changed its mission from plutonium enrichment to environmental clean up and restoration.
In modern times, agriculture has been a major factor in the area's economy. Wheat is the most widely grown crop in the region, as well as fruit such as apples, cherries, and grapes the region is home to more than 160 wineries. This is due mainly to the high quality of the region's soil and the ease of irrigation made possible by three nearby rivers Columbia, Snake and Yakima Rivers.
Kennewick is the commercial district for the Tri-Cities region. Residents from central and southeastern Washington state, as well as from northeastern Oregon, visit the city for its shopping resources and entertainment venues. It is also home to several parks, including Columbia Park, which is a 400 acre recreational area with nearly 5 miles of Columbia River shoreline.
The wine industry is prevalent in the Kennewick and Tri-Cities region, with over 160 wineries within an hour's drive. Due to the region's climate of long, warm summer days an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, and crisp cool nights; combined with rich volcanic soils and controlled irrigation, make it a nearly perfect location to grow premium grapes. A wide variety are grown throughout the region including Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Pinot Noir and others.
There has been significant population growth in Kennewick and the greater Tri-Cities region over the last decade as the region also harbors a large technological industry. A major employer of many residents in Kennewick is Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, which is one of the U.S. Department of Energy's major national laboratories. In the past, Forbes has named Kennewick the #2 area in the country for job growth.
More recently, Kiplinger has rated the Tri-Cities region as one of the top 10 places to live and raise a family. CNN/Money has ranked the Tri-Cities region as one of the top 10 best bets for gains in housing value, due to its relatively stable economic conditions since the early 2000s.
