Spanaway, Washington

About Spanaway

Spanaway began as a resort for tourists from Seattle and Tacoma in 1890.  Land claims on the east side of Spanaway Lake were bought by the Lake Park Land, Railway and Improvement Company, who platted a town and provided it with a new rail line.  When Mt. Rainier National Park was created in 1899, Spanaway enjoyed more popularity, as visitors to the park would ride to Spanaway's rail terminal before finishing the journey by motorcade.  Currently, Mt. Rainier is accessible by the Mountain Highway, State Route 7.  It is a small city with dramatic views of Mt. Rainier, the world-famous LeMay Car Museum, and hydroplane regattas on the lake.

Geography

Spanaway is immediately to the east of Joint Base Lewis McChord, and 15 miles south of Tacoma on route 7.  She sits in the shadow of Mt. Rainier.  Interstate 5 offers access to Seattle, Olympia, and Portland, Oregon, and from Olympia, the Pacific Coast is just over an hour away.  Amtrak's western corridor is accessible both in Tacoma and Lacey, and light craft aviation services are provided by the Spanaway airport.  Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is a short drive north on I-5

Spanaway Real Estate

Newer homes can be purchased fairly cheaply.  There are a number of new developments and continuing construction, and there are many lots to be had for reasonable prices.

Mean real estate prices in 2008:

All housing units $250,122
Detached houses $277,930
Townhouses or other attached units $178,482
In 2-unit structures $188,362
In 3- to 4-unit structures $220,006
In 5 or more unit structures $337.366
Mobile homes $44,016

Weather

The weather in Spanaway is characterized as a temperate climate.  It rarely experiences extreme temperatures.  Winters are rainy, with occasional snow, and summers are warm and dry.  The rainy months make Spanaway an easy place to garden, and spring is vibrantly colorful.  Spanaway tends to be slightly warmer than neighboring locales.

Jan April July Oct
Avg. Temp 40 50 64 50
Precip in inches 5.5 4.2 1 4

Population

As of 2007, the population of Spanaway was 23,708 people, up 12% from the 2000 census.  Spanaway households were occupied by an average of 2.5 people.  The median age of residents was 32.9 years, compared to the Washington state average of 35.3 years.

Employment

The U.S. Military is a significant employer.  Jobs in retail, commercial, manufacturing, transportation and service industries are available in Spanaway, as well as in Puyallup and Tacoma.  Spanaway residents commute an average of 32 minutes each way.

Income

As of 2008, the median per household income was $59,513, compared to Washington's state average of $58,000.  10.8% of residents lived below the poverty line.

Cost of Living

As of December, 2009, the Cost of Living Index for Spanaway is 99, compared to the national average of areas participating in the Cost of Living Index of 100.

Spanaway Schools

Public schools are administered by the Bethel School District, which spans 202 square miles.  17,500 students attend 17 elementary schools, 5 middle schools, 3 comprehensive high schools, one alternative junior/senior high school, and an online academy.  There are over 2,100 staff members employed by the district, and 64% of teachers have achieved at least a Master's Degree.

Of Spanaway residents aged 25 or over, 84.6% have achieved at least a high school diploma, while 42.9% have earned a Bachelor's Degree or greater.  There are many opportunities for post-secondary education in the region around Spanaway, including Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, Clover Park Technical College, Bates Technical College, Green River Community College, South Puget Sound Community College, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington Tacoma Campus, The Evergreen State College, and Saint Martin's University.