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Living in
Fort Lewis.
About
Life in Fort Lewis
This is fundamentally a military community, so if you're moving here, understand that the economy, culture, and day-to-day rhythm revolve around Joint Base Lewis–McChord—one of the largest Army installations in the country. The base itself sits on 87,000 acres of glacier-carved prairie and dense conifer forest, which shapes both the landscape and the feeling of the place; it's genuinely quieter and more spacious than you'd expect so close to the Tacoma-Seattle corridor. The actual CDP (civilian area) is smaller and more compact, with a median household income around $59k and median rent hovering near $2,282 a month—reasonable for the Pacific Northwest, though not cheap—and the job market is steady thanks to military-related employment and support services.
Fort Lewis at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
22.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.2%
Foreign-Born
11.0%
Broadband Internet
98.2%
of households
Population Growth
+7.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Fort Lewis: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fort Lewis, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (15.7%), and 15.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.6%
of residents
65 and Older
0.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
70.8%
anyone under 18
Married Couples
80.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
3.21
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 30% above WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Fort Lewis
In Fort Lewis, rent runs 30% above the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
73.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
38.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Homeowners
1.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1987
median year built
Vacant Homes
12.8%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WA
Unemployment in Fort Lewis and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Pierce County, which includes Fort Lewis, is close to the WA average.
Unemployment rate
Fort Lewis: Pierce County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Pierce County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Fort Lewis is about 2% of Pierce County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area
Commute11.4 min avg
How Fort Lewis residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fort Lewis, most residents drive alone to work (61%), and 92% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Major hub25.4M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 31% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, which covers Fort Lewis, runs 31% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
226.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,070.3
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Pierce County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural Disasters
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Pierce County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
24 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Data not yet available
Air Quality44 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pierce County, which includes Fort Lewis, is typically good — 267 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
44
Good Days
267
per year
Moderate Days
98
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Pierce County, county-wide
Fort Lewis is about 2% of Pierce County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate74°F summers, 36°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fort Lewis has mild summers (avg high 74°F) and mild winters (avg low 36°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/42°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
74°/53°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/46°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/36°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.4"
Annual Snowfall
5.6"
Hot Days/Year
2
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
21
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
168
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 36°F | 6.06" |
| Feb | 48°F | 37°F | 4.11" |
| Mar | 53°F | 39°F | 4.63" |
| Apr | 58°F | 41°F | 3.39" |
| May | 65°F | 47°F | 2.08" |
| Jun | 70°F | 51°F | 1.36" |
| Jul | 76°F | 54°F | 0.68" |
| Aug | 76°F | 54°F | 0.86" |
| Sep | 70°F | 51°F | 1.54" |
| Oct | 59°F | 46°F | 4.32" |
| Nov | 51°F | 40°F | 7.18" |
| Dec | 46°F | 36°F | 5.81" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
0.8%
of residents
Madigan Amc (ft Lewis)
Acute Care - Department of Defense · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
St Clare Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4 mi away · Lakewood
Wellfound Behavioral Health Hospital
Psychiatric · 9.9 mi away · Tacoma
St Joseph Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.7 mi away · Tacoma
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education16.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis's student/teacher ratio is 16.0:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 24.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
3
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Fort Lewis (within 15 miles)
Public · 2-year · 5,313 students · in-state tuition $5,578 · 42% graduate · median earnings $52,562 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 4,668 students · in-state tuition $5,670 · 37% graduate · median earnings $52,313 (10 yrs after entry)
University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
10.9 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 4,185 students · in-state tuition $13,577 · 75% graduate · median earnings $83,105 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,401 students · in-state tuition $53,096 · 73% graduate · median earnings $71,109 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,594 students · in-state tuition $65,886 · 73% graduate · median earnings $71,918 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,158 students · in-state tuition $46,856 · 66% graduate · median earnings $70,376 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park, 35 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (35 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
35 mi awayWing Luke Museum Affiliated Area
Affiliated Area
36 mi awayMount Rainier National Park
National Park
44 mi awayOlympic National Park
National Park
71 mi awayEbey's Landing National Historical Reserve
National Historical Reserve
77 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
91 mi awaySan Juan Island National Historical Park
National Historical Park
100 mi awayCities Near Fort Lewis
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fort Lewis?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fort Lewis FAQ
Is Fort Lewis, Washington affordable?⌄
Fort Lewis's median rent is $2,282/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $58,796/year.
Is Fort Lewis, Washington safe?⌄
Fort Lewis is policed by the Pierce County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 226 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1070 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fort Lewis, Washington?⌄
Pierce County, which includes Fort Lewis, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fort Lewis, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Fort Lewis is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,282/month and median household income is $58,796/year. About 74% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fort Lewis, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Fort Lewis is 11 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from