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Living in
Olympia.
About
Life in Olympia
Living in Olympia means choosing a mid-sized capital city with genuine cultural depth and a strong sense of community identity. Yes, the 1990s music scene put it on the map—Nirvana, Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney all have roots here—but that's really background context now. What actually matters for day-to-day life is that you're getting a relatively affordable Pacific Northwest city (median home price around $486k, rent around $1,599/month) with solid job prospects, a 4.4% unemployment rate, and a median household income of $81k.
Olympia at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
14.0%
Foreign-Born
8.4%
Broadband Internet
94.8%
of households
Population Growth
+2.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics8.4% foreign-born, most often from Vietnam
Who lives in Olympia: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Olympia, the largest foreign-born group is from Vietnam (19.5%), and 3.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.8%
of residents
65 and Older
19.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.9%
of households
Married Couples
35.7%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.16
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 9% below WA average
Rent, home values, and income in Olympia
In Olympia, rent runs 9% below the WA average, and home values are 14% below the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
103.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,396
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
49.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1982
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $526,205 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below WA average
Unemployment in Olympia
Unemployment in Olympia is 0.4 percentage points lower than the WA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Olympia Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute20 min avg
How Olympia residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Olympia, most residents drive alone to work (59%), and 77% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 39 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 44% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Olympia runs 44% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
474.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,595.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Olympia Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 1 event in 2023
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
94.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Thurston County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Thurston County, which includes Olympia, the most common type is flood, with 1 recorded event in 2023.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 | Heavy Rain | None reported |
| 2021 | 2 | Flood | $126,000 |
| 2019 | 1 | Tornado | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
24 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Thurston County, county-wide
Air Quality27 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Thurston County, which includes Olympia, is typically good.
Median AQI
27
Thurston County, county-wide
Climate75°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Olympia has mild summers (avg high 75°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
60°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
75°/50°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/41°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
47°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
59.0"
Annual Snowfall
3.9"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
77
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
176
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 33°F | 7.80" |
| Feb | 49°F | 32°F | 5.09" |
| Mar | 54°F | 35°F | 5.68" |
| Apr | 59°F | 38°F | 3.67" |
| May | 66°F | 43°F | 2.26" |
| Jun | 71°F | 47°F | 1.46" |
| Jul | 78°F | 51°F | 0.53" |
| Aug | 78°F | 51°F | 0.96" |
| Sep | 72°F | 46°F | 2.04" |
| Oct | 60°F | 41°F | 5.07" |
| Nov | 51°F | 36°F | 8.21" |
| Dec | 45°F | 33°F | 7.85" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Olympia
Olympia has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
5.6%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Providence St Peter Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Capital Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
South Sound Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 3.2 mi away · Lacey
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.
Education19.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Olympia
Olympia's student/teacher ratio is 19.0:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 51.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
7
within city limits
College Degree Rate
51.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Olympia
South Puget Sound Community College
Public · 2-year · 3,075 students · in-state tuition $5,415 · 46% graduate · median earnings $48,158 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
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, 47 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Olympia
Olympia has 7 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (47 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
47 mi awayWing Luke Museum Affiliated Area
Affiliated Area
47 mi awayMount Rainier National Park
National Park
58 mi awayOlympic National Park
National Park
64 mi awayLewis and Clark National Historical Park
National Historical Park
77 mi awayEbey's Landing National Historical Reserve
National Historical Reserve
82 mi awayFort Vancouver National Historic Site
National Historic Site
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Olympia
Olympia Timberland Library
313 8th Ave. Se, Olympia
West Olympia Timberland Library
#365, 625 Black Lake Blvd Sw, Olympia
Cities Near Olympia
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Olympia?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Olympia FAQ
Is Olympia, Washington affordable?⌄
Olympia's median rent is $1,599/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $81,302/year. Median home value is $486,200.
Is Olympia, Washington safe?⌄
Olympia's violent crime rate was 475 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2596 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Olympia, Washington?⌄
Olympia has an unemployment rate of 4.3%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Olympia, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in Olympia is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,599/month and median household income is $81,302/year. The median home value is $486,200. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Olympia, Washington?⌄
The average commute in Olympia is 20 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