Tumwater, Washington

About Tumwater

The city of Tumwater is just south of Olympia and is near where the Deschutes River enters the southernmost point of Puget Sound. Known as Washington's first community, Tumwater was the first American settlement on Puget Sound. Over the years a language known as Chinook jargon developed as a mixture of the French Canadian trappers' dialect, American English and local native languages. The name Tumwater comes from a Chinook jargon phrase meaning waterfall or rapids. The inspiration can be seen at Tumwater Falls near where the Deschutes River empties into Capitol Lake and then into Puget Sound.

In 1845 Michael T. Simmons let the first group of permanent American settlers to Tumwater Falls. The trail his 31 companions cut from the Columbia River to Tumwater became known as the northern branch of the famous Oregon Trail. The settlement was first named New Market, changed to Tumwater in 1863, and incorporated as a town in 1869.

The abundance of timber in the area, sawmills harnessing the power of the Deschutes River and the proximity to Puget Sound for shipping products drove the growth and development of the new town

Tumwater shares much common border with Olympia and is roughly 18 miles south of Fort Lewis. It is home to the Olympia airport, offering private and charter services.

Tumwater and its neighboring cities of Olympia and Lacey have grown steadily over the years, offering good employment opportunities, an affordable cost of living, and a mild, temperate climate conducive to year 'round enjoyment the countless outdoor activities an area blessed with such uncommon natural beauty has to offer.

Minutes away in next-door Olympia, venues such as the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, Capitol Theater, Olympia Little Theatre and Harlequin Productions offer the best of local, national and internationally known arts and entertainment.

Geography

Tumwater is located in Thurston County just south of Olympia at the mouth of the Deschutes River. It is centrally located between the major metropolitan areas of Seattle, Washington to the north and Portland, Oregon to the south. It is also midway between the Cascade Mountain range and it's crown jewel, Mt. Rainier to the east, and the Pacific Ocean beaches of Washington's western coast.

With its central location, Tumwater is also a hub for major transportation modes. Interstate 5 and Amtrak's rail lines – two main north/south travel corridors for the western United States, travel through Tumwater. To the west, US Highways 101 and 12 offer easy access to the Olympic Peninsula and Pacific Ocean. A regional airport serving general aviation from light planes and helicopters up to corporate jets is on the southern edge of the city.

Tumwater Real Estate

People searching for housing in Tumwater will find a mix of older more established neighborhoods and some new construction. Many of the older neighborhoods are located around Capitol Blvd, which is the main north/south thoroughfare through the city, as well as Tumwater Hill which overlooks Capitol Lake and the city of Olympia.

Newer neighborhoods include The Ridge at Suncrest, Sterling Crossing, and White Hawk. Many of these homes are priced under $300,000.

Tumwater is home to many new state office buildings, providing a solid employment base.

Mean real estate prices in 2008:

All housing units $272,204
Detached houses $302,804
Townhouses or other attached units $212,447
In 2-unit structures $201,082
In 3- to 4-unit structures $565,282
In 5 or more unit structures $78,046
Mobile homes $56,767

Weather

Tumwater enjoys the same temperate climate as its neighbors in western Washington State.

Jan April July Oct
Avg. Temp 38 48 63 50
Precip in inches 8 3.3 0.8 4

Population

Tumwater population as of July 2008 stands at 14,100 people, an 11% increase from the 2000 census count. Average household size is 2.2 persons. Median age is 36.2 years, slightly older er than the Washington state average of 35.3.

Employment

Many Tumwater residents work for Washington State as the capitol is in Olympia just to the north. They may commute into Olympia, or work in one of several new multi-story office buildings constructed in Tumwater to house state agencies. Civilian employees and active duty Army and Air Force personnel live in Tumwater and commute to Joint Base Lewis/McChord. Others commute north to Tacoma or Seattle or work in Tumwater at one of the many educational, retail or light industrial centers. Average commute time for Tumwater residents is less than 20 minutes each way.

Income

Median household income in 2008 was $57,655. 8.5% of residents were below the poverty line.

Cost of Living

The Cost of Living Index for Tumwater is 108.6 as of December 2009. The average for all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas participating in the Cost of Living Index = 100.

Tumwater Schools

Public education in Tumwater is provided by the Tumwater School District. More than 6,200 students are served by 6 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 2 comprehensive high schools and 3 alternative high schools.

92.4% of Tumwater residents over age 25 have earned a high school diploma or higher level of education. Post-secondary education is available at two public colleges: 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 Lacey is a private, Benedictine institution offering four-year and graduate degrees.