A dollar goes a long way in the Tri-Cities.

Just ask former Bellevue residents Meredith and Bill Farris.

After moving to Richland four years ago to enjoy warm weather and the outdoors, they discovered many other benefits, including an inexpensive, relaxed lifestyle that is like the icing on the cake.

The latest ACCRA Cost of Living Index, which tracks cost of living trends nationwide, confirms their observation.

The first quarter report gives the Tri-Cities a 91.1 composite rating, the state's lowest. In contrast, Spokane's index rating was 92.5 and Yakima's 96.7. The index, compiled by the Council for Community and Economic Research, measures relative price levels for consumer goods and services.

Locally grown produce is cheaper and so is meat, said Meredith Farris, adding that she and her husband can take their grandkids to baseball games without breaking the bank.

Their Richland home cost about a third as much as their $825,000 Bellevue house and is bigger and nicer. And their utility bill is about $260 a month, instead of the $400 they paid in Bellevue.

"There's nothing that we need that is not here," said Bill, a retired Boeing engineer.

The ACCRA's cost of living calculator indicates that someone earning $50,000 a year in Seattle would need only $38,765 to pay for a similar lifestyle in the Tri-Cities.

And, as the Farrises found, that means you can buy a bigger house, eat quality food without paying through the nose, save on utility costs and likely put away more money for retirement.

That's what Tri-City economic development experts tell new companies considering the area to relocate.

Besides knowing about the cost of doing business in the Tri-Cities, companies want to know how much they need to pay to recruit and retain workers and how far their wages will go, said Bryson Bailey Jr., the Tri-City Development Council's director of business recruitment. A lower cost of living means a higher quality of life, he said.

Though it's not a guarantee to bring new businesses, it does get their attention, he said.

Gary Ballew, business and economic development manager for the city of Richland, said in the last six months, he's talked to about six different companies that are interested in the Tri-Cities.

All have different priorities, which include concerns about educational opportunities for workers and costs of power and land.

"There's no one factor," Ballew said, but having cheap housing and groceries does help.

Businesses typically consider energy and transportation costs in their decisions, said Pasco City Manager Gary Crutchfield.

They do take into account the cost of living index, because wages have to reflect that, he said. And a low cost of living can be a selling point for retirees, he said.

The Farrises were sold. They see the Tri-Cities as a healthy, growing community. They did research for about two years before making their move.

Although they had a second home in Ellensburg, they decided the Tri-Cities was a better place to live. It's more neighborly, diverse and offers innumerable opportunities to volunteer and study, said Meredith Farris, who has served on Richland's Parks and Recreation Commission.

And the Tri-Cities has great medical facilities, said Bill Farris, adding that's a big plus for retirees.

Dean Schau, regional labor economist, cites both the growth of health services and educational opportunities as factors in attracting new residents to the Tri-Cities from elsewhere in Washington and from outside the state.

The growth, in turn, has expanded the labor pool, a major consideration for businesses considering a move to the area, he said.

The availability of large and skilled labor force, cheap land and utilities and transportation networks helped the Port of Kennewick last year recruit San Juan Pools, the nation's largest and oldest fiberglass pool manufacturer, and a specialty metal distribution company from California and an Oregon-based distributor of plumbing supplies, said Larry Peterson, director of planning and development at the Port of Kennewick.

The new businesses helped create more than 100 well-paid jobs.

"We're getting to a critical mass" that can potentially spin off other business opportunities, he said. Having a lower cost of living aids that process, Peterson said.