Tumwater, Washington

About Tumwater

Tumwater was the first American settlement on the Puget Sound, and is considered Washington's first permanent community.  It is located at the mouth of the Deschutes river, where it meets the most southerly point of the Puget Sound.  The name is derived from a Chinook jargon phrase meaning waterfall or rapids.  Chinook jargon was a regional dialect mixing American English, local Indian language, and French Canadian trapper's dialect.  The area was first settled in 1845 by Michael T. Simmons, who led a group of American settlers north from the Columbia River and the Oregon Trail.  The route they traversed became known as the northern branch of the Oregon Trail.  Originally, the settlement was known as New Market, but the name was changed to Tumwater in 1863.

The tri-city region of Olympia, Lacey, and Tumwater continue to grow and offer good employment opportunities.  It is an affordable area to live, and the region offers many possibilities for entertainment, including many outdoor recreational opportunities as well as performing arts venues.

Geography

Tumwater is situated just to the south of Olympia in Thurston County.  I-5 offers easy access to both Seattle, WA to the north and Portland, OR to the south.  Highway 12 offers access to both the Pacific Coast and the Cascade Mountain Range.  An Amtrak passenger station is just minutes away in Lacey, and while Tumwater has its own regional airport for light craft, the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is approximately an hour's drive north on I-5.

Tumwater Real Estate

Real estate in Tumwater varies from new construction to older established neighborhoods.  Generally, the older neighborhoods cluster around Capitol Boulevard, which runs north and south though Tumwater.  There are many new houses available for less than $300,000.

Mean real estate prices in 2008:

All housing units $272,204
Detached houses $302,804
Townhouses or other attached units $212,447
In 2-unit structures $201,082
In 3- to 4-unit structures $565,282
In 5 or more unit structures $78,046
Mobile homes $56,767

Weather

The weather in Tumwater 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 Tumwater an easy place to garden, and spring is vibrantly colorful. 

Jan April July Oct
Avg. Temp 38 48 63 50
Precip in inches 8 3.3 0.8 4

Population

As of 2008, the population of Tumwater was 14,100 people, up 11% from the 2000 census.  Tumwater households were occupied by an average of 2.2 people.  The median age of residents was 36.2 years, compared to the Washington state average of 35.3 years.

Employment

The Washington state government is a large employer of residents of Tumwater.  Government offices exist both in Tumwater and just to the north in Olympia.  Both civilian and military residents of Tumwater work at Joint Base Lewis McChord, while other residents commute to Tacoma and Seattle.  Tumwater residents commute an average of 20 minutes each way.

Income

As of 2008, the median per household income was $57,655, comparable to Washington's state average of $58,000.  8.5% of residents lived below the poverty line.

Cost of Living

As of December, 2009, the Cost of Living Index for Tumwater is 108.6, compared to the national average of areas participating in the Cost of Living Index of 100.

Tumwater Schools

Public schools are administrated by the Tumwater School District, which is comprised of 6 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 comprehensive high schools and 3 alternative high schools.

Of residents over the age of 25, 92.4% have achieved at least a high school diploma.  Post-secondary educational opportunities are available at South Puget Sound Community College, a two year college, and The Evergreen State College, a nationally ranked liberal arts college.  Saint Martin's University in Lacey is a private institution offering both undergraduate and graduate programs.