University Place, Washington
Among the top 8% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 15% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade B, better than 54% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A, better than 88% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B, better than 63% of US places
- top 6% for walkability
- top 8% for income tax
- bottom 6% for sales tax
University Place is a mid-size city in Washington with about 35,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include walkability, income tax, and comfortable days. It rates lower on property crime and sales tax.
Official websitecityofup.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
69%27%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.7 in1.1 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$90k79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 20% of US places
Home Value$510k91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 14% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 11% of US places
Property Tax Rate1.12%better than 43% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden9.49%better than 55% of US places
Unemployment3.7%better than 52% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation43.4 in55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.3 inbetter than 84% of US places
Sunny Days187 daysbetter than 14% of US places
Summer Humidity52°Fbetter than 88% of US places
Comfortable Days109 daysbetter than 91% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk60.6better than 57% of US places
Air Quality38 AQIbetter than 81% of US places
School Quality62.4better than 56% of US places
Violent Crime588/100kbetter than 59% of US places
Property Crime2947/100kbetter than 7% of US places
Community
Population34,69696th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.639th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.5589th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9440th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1915th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)61.7%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)7.1%80th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)11.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)11.0%96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)9.0%87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 39% of US places
Walkability12.6/20better than 94% of US places
Airport Distance20 mibetter than 89% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access95.7%better than 85% of US places
Amenities Nearby144.11better than 63% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 25% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is University Place an affordable place to live?
- University Place is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 20% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in University Place?
- The median home value in University Place is $510k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in University Place?
- Median household income in University Place is $90k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in University Place?
- Median gross rent in University Place is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is University Place safe?
- University Place is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 588/100k (better than 59%). Property crime is 2947/100k.
- What is the weather like in University Place?
- University Place averages 65°F in July and 41°F in January, with 43.4 in of annual precipitation and about 187 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in University Place?
- Public-school quality in University Place is about average, scoring better than 56% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in University Place?
- The average one-way commute in University Place is 28 min.
Other places in Thurston County
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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)