West Pasco is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in Franklin County,

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, United States. The population was 1,747 at the 2020 census, a significant decrease from 3,739 at the 2010 census. Based on

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, West Pasco ranks 47th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. It is also the highest rank achieved in Franklin County. The city of

Pasco, Washington Pasco ( ) is a city in, and the county seat of, Franklin County, Washington, United States. The population was 77,108 at the 2020 census, and estimated at 80,038 in 2023. Pasco is one of three cities (the others being Kennewick and Richland) t ...

, as of 2012, was attempting to annex all of West Pasco, although there was some resistance.

Geography

West Pasco is located in southern Franklin County at (46.252607, -119.182730). It is entirely surrounded by the city of Pasco. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the CDP in 2010 had a total area of , all of it land, a reduction from 2000, when the total area was .

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,629 people, 1,618 households, and 1,380 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 767.8 people per square mile (296.4/km). There were 1,661 housing units at an average density of 275.5/sq mi (106.4/km). The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.59%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.10%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.73% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.04%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 4.47% from other races, and 2.89% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 10.02% of the population. There were 1,618 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 76.8% were married couples living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.7% were non-families. 12.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.85 and the average family size was 3.08. In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 26.6% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 31.1% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.5 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $65,865, and the median income for a family was $68,205. Males had a median income of $50,504 versus $31,947 for females. The

for the CDP was $28,523. About 2.2% of families and 2.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 2.1% of those age 65 or over.

History

The area now known as West Pasco was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the

Yakama The Yakama are a Native Americans in the United State, Native American tribe with nearly 10,851 members, based primarily in Eastern Washington, eastern Washington (state), Washington state. Yakama people today are enrolled in the federally rec ...

, Walla Walla, and

Umatilla people The Umatilla are a Sahaptin-speaking Native American tribe who traditionally inhabited the Columbia Plateau region of the northwestern United States, along the Umatilla and Columbia rivers."Umatilla," in Barbara A. Leitch, ''A Concise Dictionar ...

s. These tribes relied on the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

for fishing, trade, and transportation, developing complex societies with cultural and traditions centered around the river. European exploration in the region began in the early 19th century, with the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...

passing through in 1805. This marked the beginning of increased interaction between Native American tribes and European settlers. By the mid-19th century, the establishment of Fort Walla Walla and subsequent agricultural development led to more permanent settlements in the area. The modern development of West Pasco accelerated during the mid-20th century, primarily due to the establishment of the

Hanford Site The Hanford Site is a decommissioned nuclear production complex operated by the United States federal government on the Columbia River in Benton County in the U.S. state of Washington. It has also been known as SiteW and the Hanford Nuclear R ...

as part of the

Manhattan Project The Manhattan Project was a research and development program undertaken during World War II to produce the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States in collaboration with the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The Hanford Site's role in producing plutonium for nuclear weapons brought a substantial population increase to the Tri-Cities area, including Pasco. To accommodate the growing workforce, residential subdivisions were constructed, and West Pasco began to expand significantly. In the post-war era, infrastructure development such as roads, schools, and public facilities supported the expanding population. The region's agricultural roots remained strong, with local farms producing a variety of crops, including wheat, potatoes, and later, wine grapes. The Columbia Basin's favorable climate and fertile soil proved ideal for viticulture, and the area has since become one of the premier wine-producing regions in the United States.

References

{{authority control Census-designated places in Franklin County, Washington Census-designated places in Washington (state) Tri-Cities, Washington