Olympia vs Tumwater
Olympia, Washington versus Tumwater, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Olympia and Tumwater score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Olympia | Tumwater |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $84k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $410k | $422k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.95% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.37% | 7.90% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 5.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 40°F | 40°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 64°F | 64°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.0 in | 50.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.9 in | 3.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 187 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 52°F | 52°F |
| Comfortable Days | 97 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.2 | 91.3 |
| Air Quality | 35 AQI | 35 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.4 | 65.5 |
| Violent Crime | 1548/100k | 1010/100k |
| Property Crime | 4230/100k | 3371/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 55,151 | 25,617 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 36.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.39 | 0.40 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.91 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 71.4% | 73.0% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 3.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.2% | 7.9% |
| Asian (%) | 6.7% | 4.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.1% | 11.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 14.6/20 | 9.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 40 mi | 43 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.4% | 92.8% |
| Amenities Nearby | 78.51 | 130.77 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Olympia or Tumwater more affordable?
- Tumwater has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Olympia's $55k and Tumwater's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Olympia versus $2k in Tumwater.
- Is Olympia or Tumwater safer?
- Tumwater has the lower violent crime rate. Olympia reports 1548/100k and Tumwater reports 1010/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Olympia or Tumwater?
- The median home value is $410k in Olympia and $422k in Tumwater, so homes are more affordable in Olympia.