Benton County, Washington

Benton County
Benton County Courthouse
Benton County Courthouse
Official seal of Benton County
Map of Washington highlighting Benton County
Location within the U.S. state of Washington
Map of the United States highlighting Washington
Washington's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°15′N 119°30′W / 46.25°N 119.5°W / 46.25; -119.5
Country United States
State Washington
FoundedMarch 8, 1905
Named forThomas Hart Benton
SeatProsser
Largest cityKennewick
Area
 • Total
1,760 sq mi (4,600 km2)
 • Land1,700 sq mi (4,000 km2)
 • Water60 sq mi (200 km2)  3.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
206,873
 • Estimate 
(2023)
215,219 Increase
 • Density110/sq mi (40/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitebentoncountywa.gov
Benton County, Washington

Benton County is a county in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 206,873.[1] The county seat is Prosser,[2] and its most populous city is Kennewick. The Columbia River demarcates the county's north, south, and east boundaries.

Benton County was created from what were then larger versions of Klickitat County and Yakima County on March 8, 1905,[3] and was named after Missouri statesman Thomas Hart Benton.

  1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.