Spanaway, Washington

About Spanaway

Spanaway as we know it today began in 1890 as a resort for tourists from the population centers in Tacoma and Seattle. The Lake Park Land, Railway and Improvement Company bought up land claims on the east side of Spanaway Lake, platted the town, and ran a new rail line to the community.

Spanaway received more attention and visitors when Mt. Rainier National Park was created in 1899. Visitors enroute to the mountain rode the train to the end of its line in Spanaway. The rest of the two-day journey was done by motorcade. Today, travelers from Tacoma can reach Mt. Rainier in a few hours via State Route 7, the "Mountain Highway," which still runs through Spanaway.

Those who stop or shop for real estate in Spanaway will find a small city with parks, breathtaking views of Mt. Rainer, recreational opportunities in the nearby mountains and lakes, the world-famous LeMay Car Museum, Spanaway Community Fair, and Hydroplane Regattas on Spanaway Lake

Geography

Spanaway is located on State Route 7 in Pierce County, just 15 miles south of Tacoma.  Joint Base Lewis McChord is located immediately to the west of the city. Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington's volcanic Cascade Mountain Range, dominates the view to the southeast.

Nearby, Interstate 5 offers access to Tacoma and 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 10 miles away in Tacoma and 20 miles away in Lacey. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is less than an hour's drive north up Interstate 5. 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.

Spanaway Real Estate

Purchasing new and newer homes in Spanaway can be done fairly cheaply. The real estate boom of a couple of years ago led to big new development and residential construction in and around Spanaway. Most homes are on moderate lot sizes. Many lots are now owned by banks and can be purchased at reasonable prices.

Mean real estate prices in 2008:

All housing units $250,122
Detached houses $277,930
Townhouses or other attached units $178,482
In 2-unit structures $188,362
In 3- to 4-unit structures $220,006
In 5 or more unit structures $337.366
Mobile homes $44,016

Weather

Spanaway's inland location gives it a slightly warmer temperate climate than its neighbors in western Washington State.

Jan April July Oct
Avg. Temp 40 50 64 50
Precip in inches 5.5 4.2 1 4

Population

Spanaway population as of July 2007 stands at 23,708 people, a 12% increase from the 2000 census. An average of 2.5 persons occupy each household in Spanaway. Median age is 32.9 years, significantly younger than the Washington state average of 35.3.

Employment

Spanaway offers a wide range of occupations in the immediate vicinity and surrounding areas. The US military is a significant source of employment. Spanaway, Puyallup and Tacoma offer careers in retail, commercial, manufacturing, transportation and service industries. Average commute time for Spanaway residents is 31.8 minutes each way.

Income

Median household income in 2008 was $59,513. This compares favorably with Washington state's average of $58,000. 10.8% of Spanaway residents were below the poverty line.

Cost of Living

The Cost of Living Index for Spanaway is 99 as of December 2009. The average for all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas participating in the Cost of Living Index = 100.

Spanaway Schools

The Spanaway 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. The district operates seventeen elementary schools, five junior high schools, three comprehensive senior high schools, one alternative junior/senior high school and an online academy. 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.

84.6% of Spanaway residents over age 25 have earned a high school diploma or higher level of education, and 42.9% have achieved a Bachelor's Degree or higher. Post-secondary education is available at two public colleges in Olympia: South Puget Sound Community College, a two-year community and technical school, and The Evergreen State College, a nationally ranked environmental and liberal arts college. Saint Martin's University in nearby Lacey is a private, Benedictine institution offering four-year and graduate degrees. Two private universities in nearby Tacoma are Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound. The University of Washington operates a branch campus in downtown Tacoma. In addition, Tacoma Community College offers courses in Tacoma and on base at Lewis/McChord.