About Sunnyside, WA

The City of Sunnyside was incorporated on September 16th, 1902. Sunnyside, Washington is an outstanding rural community which offers the ideal blend of quality living and business opportunity. This great little city is located in the heartland of the most diversified agricultural area in the Pacific Northwest in the Yakima Valley (South Central Washington). Sunnyside is equidistant, approximately 180 miles from Seattle, Spokane and Portland at the midpoint of the Interstate 82 corridor between Yakima (35 miles) and the Tri-Cities (45 miles) Sunnyside has experienced unprecedented economic growth, population increase and industrial commercial development over the past 10 years. The population of the city is just over 15,000 and the city serves a market area (Lower Yakima Valley/15 mile radius) of 75,000 people.

The City operates under the Council/Manager form of government with a seven member Council elected to four year terms. The Mayor serves a two-year term and is elected to that position by the Council. Council positions are non-partisan and Council members are elected to their respective positions by all the voters at the general election.

Sunnyside is a non-charter code city. The Council derives its power from the Revised Code of Washington and State Constitution. The Council authorizes public improvements and expenditures, provides for public safety, adopts regulations, levies taxes, controls finances and property of the City and performs related legislative tasks.

The Sunnyside area boasts 300 days of sunshine and just over six and a half inches of precipitation annually. Annual mean temperature, 52 degrees; annual high temperature in July (the hottest month) 90 degrees; average low temperature, in January (coldest month) 22 degrees.