University Place, Washington

About University Place

While the city of University Place was just incorporated in 1995, the name has existed for more than a century. In the late 1800s, the Methodist church sought a larger site for its Puget Sound University (now known as the University of Puget Sound). The church obtained 420 acres, designated 60 acres for the campus, and planned to fund the construction by selling off the remaining land. The financial panic of 1893 scuttled the church's plans, but the area became known forever after as the "university place."

Despite its faltering start, University Place developed and prospered as a desirable residential community for nearby Tacoma. In 1994, voters passed a ballot measure to incorporate 7.86 square miles of unincorporated Pierce County into the City of University Place. Today the city boasts breathtaking views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the west, 14 city-owned parks, and one of the lowest crime rates in Pierce County.

Geography

University Place is located on Puget Sound, west of Interstate 5 and Fircrest, and on the southern outskirts of Tacoma.  Joint Base Lewis-McChord is located to the southeast of the city, across Interstate 5. Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington's volcanic Cascade Mountain Range, dominates the view to the southeast. To the west is Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains beyond.

Interstate 5 offers access Seattle to the north, DuPont and 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 along the waterfront with passenger stations minutes away in Tacoma and 20 miles away in Lacey. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is 30 minutes north up Interstate 5. The Tacoma Narrows 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 Spanaway and Tumwater.

University Place Real Estate

Mean real estate prices in 2008:

All housing units $386,044
Detached houses $401,238
Townhouses or other attached units $233,211
In 2-unit structures $274,835
In 3- to 4-unit structures $194,987
In 5 or more unit structures $143,406
Mobile homes $43,485

Weather

University Place's location gives it a warm, temperate climate similar to its neighbors in western Washington State.

  Jan April July Oct
Avg. Temp 40 50 65 51
Precip in inches 6 3 1 3

Population

University Place population as of July 2008 stands at 30,345 people, a 1.4% increase from the 2000 census. An average of 2.5 persons occupy each household in University Place. Median age is 36.5 years, slightly older than the Washington state average of 35.3.

Employment

The top three employers in University Place are Pierce County, University Place School District, and Fred Meyer Stores. 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. The US military is a significant source of public sector employment. Most common industries for male workers are, in order, construction, healthcare, education, public administration, professional/scientific/technical, services and transportation. Most common industries for female workers are, in order, healthcare, education, services, finance/insurance, public administration, professional/scientific/technical, and social services. Average commute time for University Place residents is 20 minutes each way.

Income

Median household income in 2008 was $64,763 an increase from $50,287 in 2000. This is significantly more than Washington state's average of $58,000. 2.6% of University Place residents were below the poverty line, compared to an overall average of 10.6% in Washington.

Cost of Living

The Cost of Living Index for University Place is 110 as of December 2009. The average for all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas participating in the Cost of Living Index = 100.

University Place Schools

The University Place School District has served area students since 1894. Today nearly 5,500 students in University Place and portions of Tacoma attend one of 5 elementary, 3 junior and 1 high schools. The junior and senior high schools have earned the Department of Education's National Blue Ribbon Award of Excellence. The District achieves a 96% graduation rate.

93% of University Place residents over age 25 have earned a high school diploma or higher level of education, and 34% 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.