Area Information

Community Resource Guide  |  Thurston County Statistical Profile
Real Estate |  Employment, Wages and Income |  Transportation
Visitor Information |  The Education Community
The Medical Community  |  The Senior Community 

Community Resource Guide

Lacey

Established in 1891, Lacey has emerged as one of Puget Sound’s most livable and economically vibrant communities. Whether you are searching for an optimal location to establish or expand your business; longing for that Pacific Northwest experience in which to live or raise a family; or are seeking a mild climate and outstanding services for retirement, Lacey is a perfect fit.
With a flourishing employment base, Lacey’s residents enjoy the highest median household income of any city or town in Thurston County. Known for its quiet, safe neighborhoods, the community’s crime rate is about one-half that of many similarly-sized cities in western Washington. Excellent waterfront- and golf course-living opportunities can be found here, with urban-style town homes presenting another popular option.

Nearly 20 percent of the city consists of parks and open space, and the community holds the distinction of being one of the first Tree City USAs in Washington. Lacey has also been designated as an official Green Power Community by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in recognition of its commitment to green power use, making it one of only a handful of such cities in the entire nation.

With five freshwater lakes and the sparkling waters of Puget Sound, four outstanding golf courses, miles of paved bicycle paths, and the 3,700-acre Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge forming the city’s eastern border, recreational opportunities for residents and visitors are virtually unlimited.

Lacey is also a well-read city. Of the 27 libraries in the five-county Timberland Library System, its library consistently ranks number one for the volume of books checked-out each year. North Thurston Public Schools’ students are among the most academically successful in the region, with graduates from the district consistently ranking among the top 25 percent of first-year students at the University of Washington in terms of academic achievement.

The highly-regarded South Puget Sound Community College will soon commence construction of a new campus in Lacey’s rapidly-growing Hawks Prairie District. And in the center of the city’s bustling downtown, the pristine 300-acre campus of historic St. Martin’s University offers a quiet respite, the adjoining monastery’s bells often wafting through the forested setting.

A wide array of community events – including an outdoor summer concert series, an old-fashioned county fair, the Capital Food and Wine Festival, Lacey Spring Fun Fair, and the Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival – appeal to residents and visitors of all ages.

City of Lacey
PO Box 3400, Lacey 98509-3214   
(360) 491-3214
www.ci.lacey.wa.us

Olympia

As Washington State’s capital city, Olympia is the financial, cultural, and economic center of the south Puget Sound region. Olympia is

• Listed as number six in the nation in Kiplinger’s list of Best Cities in 2009;
• Number eight on Forbes Magazine 2008 list of Best Places for Business and Careers, number ten on the 2007 list; and
• Featured in the 2006 edition of 50 Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family.

In Olympia you will find the economic strength of state government; transportation access from Interstate 5 and State Route 101; an active waterfront port and marine terminal; local and national transit centers; and convenient access to rail lines.

Olympia has a stable council-manager government structure, with only three city managers since 1982. Olympia’s seven-member City Council has adopted an action-oriented agenda, and – in partnership with other local agencies – is investing over $100 million in waterfront and downtown public projects.

Olympians take pride in the community’s visual beauty and livability. In 2008, the city received its 15th designation as a Tree City USA and celebrated by planting over 1,000 trees in one day. A system of walking, biking and hiking trails provides convenient commute and leisure access within the city and throughout the greater area. The quality of Olympia’s aquifer-fed, municipally operated water utility meets and exceeds all state and federal standards.

And art comes alive in Olympia with more performing and visual art venues per capita than any other city in Washington State.

City of Olympia
PO Box 1967, Olympia 98507-1967   
(360) 753-8325
www.olympiawa.gov

Tumwater

Tumwater, known as Washington’s First Community, was the starting point for further American settlements at Olympia, Seattle, Whidbey Island and other points on Puget Sound. It was from Puget Sound that the movement to divide Oregon grew, resulting in the creation of Washington Territory in 1853.

The city’s early growth and development were greatly influenced by the close proximity to the power generating falls of the Deschutes River, the nearby saltwater access for transportation and communication, and the abundance of timber in the area. The town developed on the lands around the mouth of the river and homes and sawmills sprang up along its banks above the original settlement.

Tumwater is the third largest city in Thurston County with an official population of 16,333 and covers over 14 square miles.

City of Tumwater
555 Israel Road, Tumwater 98501   
(360) 754-5855
www.ci.tumwater.wa.us

Yelm

Yelm stands out among the most-livable cities in Thurston County; highly attractive and affordable. Our quality of life remains as energizing and vital today as it was 150 years ago when settlers first arrived in the Nisqually Valley. Successful partnerships and community cooperation, individually and together, make the greater Yelm community strong and vibrant. Progressive and community-minded leaders plan and shape this dynamic and exciting city, where many opportunities exist.
Yelm offers safe neighborhoods, affordable housing, great schools, fabulous parks, family-oriented community celebrations, and a vast array of business, employment and volunteer opportunities. Residents enjoy spectacular views of Mount Rainier from nearly every place in the city. Yelm is a recognized Tree City USA city for 13 consecutive years, and hosts a diverse, urban forest of beautifully vital and colorful street trees.

Infrastructure investment created new roads and parks and also expanded city services. Increased economic opportunities, availability of retail goods and services, proximity to military installations, and an abundance of recreation options are reasons many people have chosen to make Yelm their new home town. An engaged, proactive business community and local service organizations work together to enhance and help maintain the exceptional quality of life experienced by our residents and our neighbors.

Walkable and beautiful, Yelm blends the past with the future to create a sense of history – mixing potential and hope in the present. Learning about the colorful characters who shaped Yelm and the surrounding prairie is easy at the new Yelm Historical Museum.

The Longmire Park athletic complex addresses the needs of our new and future generations. Built for young ball players, families and others, the park is a shiny addition to the community and a prime spot for mountain viewing.

Yelm’s Public Safety Building and Emergency Operations Center enhances our public safety programs and court services, and provides for state-of-the-art police services and emergency/disaster operations.

Other city services include a municipal water system and one of Washington’s first reclaimed water treatment facilities. Reclaimed water is used for irrigation and provides water for a public catch-and-release pond at Cochrane Memorial Park, near the city center.

Yelm city employees are professional, efficient and provide exceptional service in every department. Residents can expect to be treated with courtesy and respect.

Off the beaten track, Yelm is within driving distance to all the major metropolitan areas of western Washington. We invite you to discover Yelm, where we meet challenges with creative solutions to strengthen the fabric of our community and sustain our quality of life. Yelm is a great city to live, work and play.

City of Yelm
PO Box 479, Yelm 98579-0479   
(360) 458-3244
www.ci.yelm.wa.us

Thurston County

Thurston County, Washington is 738 total square miles, situated at the southern end of Puget Sound between the Olympic Peninsula and Mount Rainier in between Portland and Seattle. The county has a moderate climate, typically without extreme temperatures. The average high is 63 degrees and the average low is 42. The rainfall is enough that the area stays green and beautiful year round.

Unincorporated Thurston County is about 612 square miles from Lewis County to the south up to the three major cities of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater. In between you can find a variety of neighborhoods from the very modern to the more rural and rustic. If you want urban amenities, there is a neighborhood for that. If you want isolation and Mother Nature all around, you can find that as well. There are several tidy cities and towns in the rural areas including Tenino, Rainier and Bucoda. There is also the booming area of Rochester and Grand Mound.

Thurston County boasts a wide array of recreational activities including three county parks. Burfoot and Frye Cove parks are pristine slices of nature, both situated on the salt water along Puget Sound. Kenneydell Park features a swimming area at fresh water Black Lake. The Chehalis Western Recreational Trail winds through spectacular scenery from the south county to the urban centers to the north.