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Living in
South Hill.
South Hill is an unincorporated community in Pierce County, WA. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in South Hill
South Hill works best if you're looking for suburban stability with easy access to job centers without living directly in them. With a median home value around $544,000 and rents at $2,088 a month, it's reasonably priced for the Puget Sound region, and the area has seen steady growth. The community is family-heavy, with 40% of households including kids, good schools through the Puyallup School District, and several parks including the Nathan Chapman Memorial Trail and Heritage Recreation Center for recreation.
South Hill at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.2%
Foreign-Born
11.5%
Broadband Internet
97.1%
of households
Population Growth
+13.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.5% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in South Hill: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In South Hill, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (20.4%), and 5.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.2%
of residents
65 and Older
11.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
44.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
15.3%
of households
Married Couples
56.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.91
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 19% above WA average
Rent, home values, and income in South Hill
In South Hill, rent runs 19% above the WA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
111.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,632
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
70.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1997
median year built
Vacant Homes
2.2%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WA
Unemployment in South Hill and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Pierce County, which includes South Hill, is close to the WA average.
Unemployment rate
South Hill: Pierce County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Pierce County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What South Hill Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area
Commute33.9 min avg
How South Hill residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In South Hill, most residents drive alone to work (75%), and 46% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 23 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 South Hill, 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
29 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 South Hill, 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
Climate74°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
South Hill has mild summers (avg high 74°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
58°/40°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
74°/51°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
46°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
45.1"
Annual Snowfall
5.6"
Hot Days/Year
3
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
60
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
166
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 33°F | 6.12" |
| Feb | 48°F | 33°F | 4.33" |
| Mar | 52°F | 36°F | 4.80" |
| Apr | 57°F | 39°F | 3.90" |
| May | 64°F | 45°F | 2.97" |
| Jun | 69°F | 49°F | 2.28" |
| Jul | 76°F | 52°F | 0.92" |
| Aug | 77°F | 53°F | 0.90" |
| Sep | 70°F | 48°F | 1.78" |
| Oct | 59°F | 42°F | 4.08" |
| Nov | 50°F | 36°F | 7.06" |
| Dec | 45°F | 33°F | 5.99" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in South Hill
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
No hospitals inside South Hill's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Multicare Good Samaritan Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.9 mi away · Puyallup
St Clare Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.3 mi away · Lakewood
St Joseph Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.4 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.
Education19.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in South Hill
South Hill's student/teacher ratio is 19.2:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 32.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
14
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near South Hill (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 · 4,965 students · in-state tuition $5,172 · 47% graduate · median earnings $54,621 (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
11 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)
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, 33 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for South Hill
South Hill has 5 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (33 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
33 mi awayMount Rainier National Park
National Park
33 mi awayWing Luke Museum Affiliated Area
Affiliated Area
33 mi awayEbey's Landing National Historical Reserve
National Historical Reserve
78 mi awayOlympic National Park
National Park
80 mi awayPublic Libraries in South Hill
South Hill Library
15420 Meridian East, Puyallup
Cities Near South Hill
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to South Hill?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
South Hill FAQ
Is South Hill, Washington affordable?⌄
South Hill's median rent is $2,088/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $113,130/year. Median home value is $543,600.
Is South Hill, Washington safe?⌄
South Hill 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 South Hill, Washington?⌄
Pierce County, which includes South Hill, has an unemployment rate of 5.0%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in South Hill, Washington?⌄
The cost of living in South Hill is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,088/month and median household income is $113,130/year. The median home value is $543,600. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in South Hill, Washington?⌄
The average commute in South Hill is 34 minutes, which is longer 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