Olympia, Washington
Among the top 3% of US places for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 14% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 86% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 18% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 97% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 43% of US places
- top 1% for walkability
- top 8% for income tax
- bottom 2% for property crime
Olympia is a mid-size city in Washington with about 55,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, income tax, and summer humidity. It rates lower on natural disaster risk and property crime.
Official websiteolympiawa.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, dry summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
70%26%clearovercast
Precipitation 8.1 in1.2 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$74k66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 20% of US places
Home Value$410k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 18% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 17% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.95%better than 53% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden8.37%better than 74% of US places
Unemployment6.9%better than 26% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)64°F3rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation59.0 in95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.9 inbetter than 70% of US places
Sunny Days187 daysbetter than 14% of US places
Summer Humidity52°Fbetter than 88% of US places
Comfortable Days97 daysbetter than 82% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk96.2better than 3% of US places
Air Quality35 AQIbetter than 85% of US places
School Quality76.4better than 72% of US places
Violent Crime1548/100kbetter than 16% of US places
Property Crime4230/100kbetter than 2% of US places
Community
Population55,15198th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.739th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3973rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9748th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1915th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)71.4%32nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)2.6%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.2%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)6.7%93rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)8.1%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time21 minbetter than 82% of US places
Walkability14.6/20better than 99% of US places
Airport Distance40 mibetter than 75% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.4%better than 66% of US places
Amenities Nearby78.51better than 49% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 29% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Olympia an affordable place to live?
- Olympia is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 20% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Olympia?
- The median home value in Olympia is $410k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Olympia?
- Median household income in Olympia is $74k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Olympia?
- Median gross rent in Olympia is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Olympia safe?
- Olympia is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1548/100k (better than 16%). Property crime is 4230/100k.
- What is the weather like in Olympia?
- Olympia averages 64°F in July and 40°F in January, with 59.0 in of annual precipitation and about 187 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Olympia?
- Public-school quality in Olympia is above average, scoring better than 72% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Olympia?
- The average one-way commute in Olympia is 21 min.
Other places in Thurston County
Places near Olympia
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)