Graham, Washington

About Graham

Graham is a small town located in rural Pierce County. It is located about 10 miles south of Puyallup, 9 miles southeast of Spanaway, and 25 miles southeast of Tacoma. To the west is Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Graham is known for its small-town charm, impressive property values, breathtaking views of Mount Rainier, and as the host of the Pierce County Fair every August.

Geography

Interstate 5 to the west offers access to Seattle to the north, the state capital of Olympia to the south, and Portland, Oregon further to the south. From Olympia, it's just over an hour to the Pacific Ocean beaches. Amtrak's main north/south rail corridor for the western United States, passes nearby with passenger stations 25 miles away in Tacoma and 40 miles away in Lacey. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is an hour-and-a-half drive north. The Spanaway Airport offers flight training and services for general aviation. Other airports serving general aviation from light planes and helicopters up to corporate jets are nearby in Tumwater and Tacoma.

Graham Real Estate

Mean real estate prices in 2008:

All housing units $348,089
Detached houses $408,352
Townhouses or other attached units $200,035
In 2-unit structures $953,916
Mobile homes $101,158

Weather

Graham's foothills location gives it a slightly cooler temperate climate than its neighbors in western Washington State.

  Jan April July Oct
Avg. Temp 39 49 62 50
Precip in inches 5.7 3.5 1 4

Population

Graham population as of July 2007 stands at 9,597 people. An average of 2.9 persons occupy each household in Graham. Median age matches the Washington State average at 35.3 years.

Employment

The US military is a significant source of public-sector employment. The top 10 private sector employers in Pierce County are MultiCare Health System, Franciscan Health System, Fred Meyer Stores, Good Samaritan Hospital, Intel Corporation, Emerald Queen Casino, The Boeing Company, Comcast Cable, State Farm Insurance and Costco. Most common industries for male workers are, in order, construction, transportation, public administration and healthcare. Most common industries for female workers are, in order, healthcare, education, services and transportation. Spanaway, Puyallup and Tacoma offer careers in retail, commercial, manufacturing, transportation and service industries. Average commute time for Graham residents is 35 minutes each way.

Income

Median household income in 2008 was $68,031. This compares favorably with Washington state's average of $58,000. 7% of Graham residents were below the poverty line.

Cost of Living

The Cost of Living Index for Graham is 108 as of December 2009. The average for all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas participating in the Cost of Living Index = 100.

Graham Schools

The Graham area is served by the Bethel School District. Covering 202 square miles and with an enrollment of about 17,500 students, Bethel is the 13th largest district in Washington. In Graham, the district operates 6 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school. The District employs more than 2,100 certificated and classified staff. Sixty-four percent of the district teachers have at least a Master's Degree.

88.6% of Graham residents over age 25 have earned a high school diploma or higher level of education, and 11% have achieved a Bachelor's Degree or higher. Post-secondary education is available at multiple sites, including Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, Clover Park Technical College, Bates Technical College, Green River Community College, South Puget Sound Community College, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, University of Washington Tacoma Campus, The Evergreen State College, and Saint Martin's University.