Thurston County, WA

County

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2020 Population

284,698

1.78% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2020 Median Age

39.1

0.256% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

9.83%

5.3% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$75,867

5.37% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$315,600

9.62% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

131,327

1.96% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Thurston County, WA had a population of 285k people with a median age of 39.1 and a median household income of $75,867. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Thurston County, WA grew from 279,711 to 284,698, a 1.78% increase and its median household income grew from $72,003 to $75,867, a 5.37% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Thurston County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (73.9%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.05%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.69%), White (Hispanic) (5.61%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.88%).

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.

96.8% of the residents in Thurston County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Thurston County, WA are South Puget Sound Community College (1,361 degrees awarded in 2020), The Evergreen State College (914 degrees), and Saint Martin's University (526 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Thurston County, WA was $315,600, and the homeownership rate was 66%.

Most people in Thurston County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.8 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

Population & Diversity

Thurston County, WA is home to a population of 285k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2020, 8.27% of Thurston County, WA residents were born outside of the country (23.5k people).

In 2020, there were 12.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (210k people) in Thurston County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 17.2k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 16.2k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.8%

2020 Citizenship

96.8%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 96.8% of Thurston County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Thurston County, WA was 96.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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)
210k ± 824
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
17.2k ± 1.4k
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
16.2k ± 828

9.26%

Hispanic Population

26.4k people

9.26% of the people in Thurston County, WA are hispanic (26.4k people).

The following chart shows the 7 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
245,459 ± 11,963 people
India
87,443 ± 7,218 people
China
77,854 ± 6,815 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 245,459 Washington residents, followed by India with 87,443 and China with 77,854.

Foreign-Born Population

8.27%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

23.5k people

8.11%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

22.7k people

As of 2020, 8.27% of Thurston County, WA residents (23.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Thurston County, WA was 8.11%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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-)
9,063 ± 835
Vietnam
8,018 ± 536
Gulf War (1990s)
5,216 ± 599

Thurston County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.13 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Thurston County, WA employs 131k people. The largest industries in Thurston County, WA are Public Administration (22,389 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (17,460 people), and Retail Trade (15,688 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($81,406), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($78,906), and Public Administration ($66,323).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $61,193. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

131k

2020 Value

± 2,960

1.96%

1 Year growth

± 2.98%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Thurston County, WA grew at a rate of 1.96%, from 129k employees to 131k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Thurston County, WA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (15,890 people), Management Occupations (14,538 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (12,917 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.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

131k

2020 Value

± 2,960

1.96%

1 Year growth

± 2.98%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Thurston County, WA grew at a rate of 1.96%, from 129k employees to 131k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Thurston County, WA, are Public Administration (22,389 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (17,460 people), and Retail Trade (15,688 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

$50,900

Median earning men ± $1,161

$37,069

Median earning women ± $1,097

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Public Administration ($73,312), Information ($66,726), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($57,227).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($61,088), Construction ($52,868), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($42,623).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Washington. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

3,176
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,424
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
1,414
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.99M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$669k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$529k
Manufacturing

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Washington product (by dollars) was Transport equip. with $105B, followed by Misc. mfg. prods. ($46.1B) and Mixed freight ($35.2B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Washington products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Washington.

$500B

2020 Value in Washington

$980B

Projected 2050 Value in Washington

95.8% growth

In 2020, total outbound Washington trade was $500B. This is expected to increase 95.8% to $980B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Washington trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Most Common Trade Partners

Oregon
$34.9B
California
$26.9B
Hawaii
$23.3B

In 2020, the top outbound Washington domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Oregon with $34.9B, followed by California with $26.9B and Hawaii and $23.3B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Washington shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Thurston County, WA went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 57.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (2.21%).

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

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (57.5%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (38.8%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (2.21%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Thurston County, WA for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators 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.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Thurston County, WA awarded 2,847 degrees. The student population of Thurston County, WA in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 3,434 male students and 5,248 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Thurston County, WA are White (1,694 and 60.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (356 and 12.7%), Two or More Races (224 and 8.02%), and Asian (189 and 6.77%).

The largest universities in Thurston County, WA by number of degrees awarded are South Puget Sound Community College (1,361 and 47.8%), The Evergreen State College (914 and 32.1%), and Saint Martin's University (526 and 18.5%).

The most popular majors in Thurston County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (1,370 and 48.1%), Biological & Physical Sciences (161 and 5.66%), and Computer Science (137 and 4.81%).

The median tuition costs in Thurston County, WA are $39,500 for private four year colleges, and $7,185 and $27,375 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Thurston County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 95.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 19.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 8,682 (39.6% men and 60.4% 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 2020 there were 8,682 students enrolled in Thurston County, WA, 39.6% men and 60.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,800 records, of which 60.8% were women and 39.2% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
742 degree-majors awarded
General Business
53 degree-majors awarded
Physical Sciences
39 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Thurston County, WA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 742 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
1,361 degrees awarded
The Evergreen State College
914 degrees awarded
Saint Martin's University
526 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Puget Sound Community College with 1,361 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 1,238 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Thurston County, WA, which is 0.769 times less than the 1,609 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,694 degrees mean that there were 4.76 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 356 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 ($39,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,140) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,000) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2020, 0.797% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.827% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were Some college (1.42M), High School or Equivalent (1.36M), and Bachelors Degree (1.26M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Thurston County, WA was $315,600 in 2020, which is 1.37 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $287,900 to $315,600, a 9.62% increase. The homeownership rate in Thurston County, WA is 66%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Thurston County, WA have an average commute time of 26.8 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.

Median household income in Thurston County, WA is $75,867. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Thurston County, WA was Census Tract 118.10 with a value of $113,750, followed by Census Tract 121 and Census Tract 126.10, with respective values of $104,949 and $104,271.

In 2021, 15.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1%.

Housing

Property

$315,600

Median Property Value 2020

±$4,506

$74,168

Median Property Taxes

±$1,832

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

66%

Homeownership

2020

68.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 66% of the housing units in Thurston County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.4%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 118.10
Census Tract 121
Census Tract 126.10

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Thurston County, WA was Census Tract 118.10 with a value of $113,750, followed by Census Tract 121 and Census Tract 126.10, with respective values of $104,949 and $104,271.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Thurston County, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

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

$75,867

Median Household Income

± $1,706

112k

Number of Households

± 2,629

In 2020, the median household income of the 112k households in Thurston County, WA grew to $75,867 from the previous year's value of $72,003.

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.

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Washington

0.468

2019 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2020, the income inequality in Washington was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.301% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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 2020

Drove Alone (77.1%)
Carpooled (9.25%)
Worked At Home (8.04%)

In 2020, 77.1% of workers in Thurston County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.25%) and those who worked at home (8.04%).

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

26.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Thurston County, WA have a shorter commute time (26.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 3.3% 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 2021, 15.6% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 1%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

9.83% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Thurston County, WA (27.6k out of 281k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 18 - 24.

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

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 2021, 11.8% of the children was living in poverty in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 4.7%.

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
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

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

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 237 in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2021, 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.

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Health

95.3% of the population of Thurston County, WA has health coverage, with 46.5% on employee plans, 14.6% on Medicaid, 11.7% on Medicare, 16.3% on non-group plans, and 6.28% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Washington was $7,913 in 2014. This is a 4% increase from the previous year ($7,609).

Primary care physicians in Thurston County, WA see 991 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year (1002 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1345 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 260 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Washington. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Washington, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

991 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Thurston County, WA

Primary care physicians in Thurston County, WA see an average of 991 patients per year. This represents a 1.1% decrease from the previous year (1,002 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.

Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Washington across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.2% under 18 years, 20.7% between 18 and 34 years, 38.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.7% were men and 52.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.69%

Uninsured

46.5%

Employer Coverage

14.6%

Medicaid

11.7%

Medicare

16.3%

Non-Group

6.28%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Thurston County, WA declined by 3.24% from 4.84% to 4.69%.

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 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 37.4 in Thurston County, WA.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, 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 30.1% in Thurston County, WA.

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

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