Thurston County, WA

County

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2024 Population

299,067

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

0.503% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

9.55%

1.24% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$96,563

2.74% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$480,300

6.38% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

135,796

0.0339% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Thurston County, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.6% of the residents in Thurston County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Thurston County, WA are South Puget Sound Community College (1,025 degrees awarded in 2024), The Evergreen State College (687 degrees), and Saint Martin's University (548 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Thurston County, WA was $480,300, and the homeownership rate was 67.7%.

Most people in Thurston County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Thurston County, WA was 2 cars per household.

Thurston County, WA borders Grays Harbor County, WA, Lewis County, WA, Mason County, WA, and Pierce County, WA.

Photo by brewbooks

United States Washington Olympia-Tumwater, WA

Population & Diversity

Thurston County, WA is home to a population of 299k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2024, 8.25% of Thurston County, WA residents were born outside of the country (24.7k people).

In 2024, there were 10.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (208k people) in Thurston County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 19.1k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 18.1k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.6%

2024 Citizenship

96.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.6% of Thurston County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Thurston County, WA was 96.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Thurston County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Thurston County, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
208k ± 1.13k
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
19.1k ± 1.19k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
18.1k ± 861

10.6%

Hispanic Population

31.7k people

10.6% of the people in Thurston County, WA are hispanic (31.7k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Thurston County, WA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
247,954 ± 12,030 people
India
116,227 ± 8,308 people
China
94,449 ± 7,500 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 247,954 Washington residents, followed by India with 116,227 and China with 94,449.

Foreign-Born Population

8.25%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

24.7k people

8.46%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

25.1k people

As of 2024, 8.25% of Thurston County, WA residents (24.7k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Thurston County, WA was 8.46%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Thurston County, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
11,649 ± 923
Vietnam
6,986 ± 458
Gulf War (1990s)
5,069 ± 593

Thurston County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.67 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Thurston County, WA.

Health

95% of the population of Thurston County, WA has health coverage, with 45.9% on employee plans, 13.7% on Medicaid, 12.7% on Medicare, 17.1% on non-group plans, and 5.6% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Thurston County, WA see 1,146 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,146 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1266 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 176 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,146 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Thurston County, WA

Primary care physicians in Thurston County, WA see an average of 1,146 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,146 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Thurston County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.6% under 18 years, 19.7% between 18 and 34 years, 38.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 19% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.2% were men and 51.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

4.96%

Uninsured

45.9%

Employer Coverage

13.7%

Medicaid

12.7%

Medicare

17.1%

Non-Group

5.6%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Thurston County, WA grew by 0.135% from 4.95% to 4.96%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Thurston County, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 5.84 in Thurston County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Thurston County, WA.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.6% in Thurston County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Thurston County, WA.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 6.73% in Thurston County, WA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Thurston County, WA.

Economy

The economy of Thurston County, WA employs 136k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Thurston County, WA were Public Administration (23,311 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (18,957 people), and Retail Trade (16,227 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($246,667), Utilities ($86,172), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($84,423).

Employment

Occupations

136k

2024 Value

± 3,071

−0.0339%

1 Year decline

± 3.26%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Thurston County, WA declined at a rate of −0.0339%, from 136k employees to 136k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Thurston County, WA, are Management Occupations (16,950 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (16,036 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (11,739 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Thurston County, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

136k

2024 Value

± 3,071

−0.0339%

1 Year decline

± 3.26%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Thurston County, WA declined at a rate of −0.0339%, from 136k employees to 136k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Thurston County, WA, are Public Administration (23,311 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (18,957 people), and Retail Trade (16,227 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Thurston County, WA, though some of these residents may live in Thurston County, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$65,081

Median earning men ± $1,791

$49,907

Median earning women ± $1,659

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Public Administration ($90,160), Information ($78,634), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($78,523).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($76,650), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($64,190), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($54,410).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Y-Axis

3.62%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.58M people employed in Washington. This represents a 3.62% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.3%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

576
Construction
523
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
488
Health Care and Social Assistance

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.03M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$553k
Retail Trade
$409k
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Kamala Harris with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (39%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.4%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Thurston County, WA. Showing the available data for Washington.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (57.2%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (39%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (1.4%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Kamala Harris with 57.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (39%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.4%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Washington for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Thurston County, WA awarded 2,260 degrees. The student population of Thurston County, WA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 3,525 male students and 5,226 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Thurston County, WA are White (1,261 and 56.9%), Hispanic or Latino (311 and 14%), Two or More Races (189 and 8.53%), and Asian (159 and 7.18%).

The largest universities in Thurston County, WA by number of degrees awarded are South Puget Sound Community College (1,025 and 45.4%), The Evergreen State College (687 and 30.4%), and Saint Martin's University (548 and 24.2%).

The most popular majors in Thurston County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (889 and 39.3%), Registered Nursing (103 and 4.56%), and Welding Technology (81 and 3.58%).

The median tuition costs are $44,900 for private four year colleges, and $6,433 and $18,034 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Thurston County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 92.3%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 17.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 8,751 (40.3% men and 59.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2024 there were 8,751 students enrolled in Thurston County, WA, 40.3% men and 59.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,185 records, of which 59.5% were women and 40.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
530 degrees awarded
General Business
41 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
33 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Thurston County, WA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 530 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Thurston County, WA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

South Puget Sound Community College
1,025 degrees awarded
The Evergreen State College
687 degrees awarded
Saint Martin's University
548 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Puget Sound Community College with 1,025 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 960 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Thurston County, WA, which is 0.738 times less than the 1,300 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,261 degrees mean that there were 4.05 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 311 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($44,900) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($828) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,240) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Thurston County, WA was $480,300 in 2024, which is 1.44 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $451,500 to $480,300, a 6.38% increase. The homeownership rate in Thurston County, WA is 67.7%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Thurston County, WA have an average commute time of 25.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Thurston County, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.22%.

Housing

Property

$480,300

Median Property Value 2024

±$4,565

$80,487

Median Property Taxes

±$2,275

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Thurston County, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Thurston County, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

67.7%

Homeownership

2024

67.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 67.7% of the housing units in Thurston County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 67.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Thurston County, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$96,563

Median Household Income

± $1,945

119k

Number of Households

± 2,810

In 2024, the median household income of the 119k households in Thurston County, WA grew to $96,563 from the previous year's value of $93,985.

The following chart displays the households in Thurston County, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Thurston County, WA is from Washington.

0.469

2024 Wage GINI in Washington

0.468

2023 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2024, the income inequality in Washington was 0.469 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0979% growth from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (66.9%)
Worked At Home (20.5%)
Carpooled (7.55%)

In 2024, 66.9% of workers in Thurston County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (20.5%) and those who carpooled to work (7.55%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

25.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Thurston County, WA have a shorter commute time (25.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.23% of the workforce in Thurston County, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Thurston County, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Thurston County, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Thurston County, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 15.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 1.22%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

9.55% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Thurston County, WA (28.2k out of 295k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Thurston County, WA is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 10.3% of the children was living in poverty in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 237 in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 3.81% per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.