Thurston County, WA

County

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2023 Population
296,640
0.805% 1-year growth
US Senator
Patty Murray
Democratic Party
US Senator
Maria Cantwell
Democratic Party
2023 Median Age
39.8
0.759% 1-year increase
2023 Poverty Rate
9.67%
3.43% 1-year increase
2023 Median Household Income
$93,985
5.73% 1-year growth
2023 Median Property Value
$451,500
9.67% 1-year growth
2023 Employed Population
135,842
0.906% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Thurston County, WA had a population of 297k people with a median age of 39.8 and a median household income of $93,985. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Thurston County, WA grew from 294,272 to 296,640, a 0.805% increase and its median household income grew from $88,895 to $93,985, a 5.73% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Thurston County, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (70.6%), Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) (6.32%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (5.73%), White (Hispanic) (3.43%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.17%).

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.

96.5% of the residents in Thurston County, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Thurston County, WA are South Puget Sound Community College (982 degrees awarded in 2023), The Evergreen State College (653 degrees), and Saint Martin's University (593 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Thurston County, WA was $451,500, and the homeownership rate was 67.8%.

Most people in Thurston County, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 26.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Thurston County, WA was 2 cars per household.

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Population & Diversity

Thurston County, WA is home to a population of 297k people, from which 96.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 8.46% of Thurston County, WA residents were born outside of the country (25.1k people).

In 2023, there were 11.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (210k people) in Thurston County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 18.7k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 17k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.5%
2023 Citizenship
96.6%
2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.5% of Thurston County, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Thurston County, WA was 96.6%, 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.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Thurston County, WA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    210k ± 1.01k
  2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    18.7k ± 1.11k
  3. Asian (Non-Hispanic)
    17k ± 844
10.3%
Hispanic Population
30.5k people

In 2023, there were 11.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (210k people) in Thurston County, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 18.7k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 17k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

10.3% of the people in Thurston County, WA are hispanic (30.5k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Washington.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    248,556 ± 12,042 people
  2. India
    107,324 ± 7,987 people
  3. China
    89,838 ± 7,316 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 248,556 Washington residents, followed by India with 107,324 and China with 89,838.

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Foreign-Born Population

8.46%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
25.1k people
8.37%
2022 Foreign-Born Population
24.6k people

As of 2023, 8.46% of Thurston County, WA residents (25.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Thurston County, WA was 8.37%, 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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Gulf War (2001-)
    11,199 ± 799
  2. Vietnam
    7,217 ± 491
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    5,305 ± 624

Thurston County, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.55 times greater than any other conflict.

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Economy

The economy of Thurston County, WA employs 136k people. In 2023, the largest industries in Thurston County, WA were Public Administration (22,263 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (18,327 people), and Retail Trade (16,038 people), and the highest paying industries were Public Administration ($82,020), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($80,875), and Utilities ($77,275).

Employment

Occupations

136k
2023 Value
± 3,184
0.906%
1 Year growth
± 3.24%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Thurston County, WA grew at a rate of 0.906%, from 135k employees to 136k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Thurston County, WA, are Management Occupations (16,644 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (15,902 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (12,113 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Thurston County, WA.

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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

136k
2023 Value
± 3,184
0.906%
1 Year growth
± 3.24%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Thurston County, WA grew at a rate of 0.906%, from 135k employees to 136k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Thurston County, WA, are Public Administration (22,263 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (18,327 people), and Retail Trade (16,038 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.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$61,915
Median earning men ± $1,412
$46,891
Median earning women ± $1,749

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($89,587), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,975), and Construction ($71,198).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($74,839), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($63,087), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($50,334).

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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.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 576
    Construction
  2. 523
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  3. 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.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $1.03M
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $553k
    Retail Trade
  3. $409k
    Construction

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

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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

Voting results are not available for Thurston County, WA. Showing the available data for Washington.
2024 Election Results
  1. Kamala Harris (57.2%)
    Democratic Party
  2. Donald J. Trump (39%)
    Republican Party
  3. 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.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.
Patty Murray
Senator from Washington3
Assumed office on January 3, 1993
Maria Cantwell
Senator from Washington1
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.

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US Representative 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.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Thurston County, WA awarded 2,279 degrees. The student population of Thurston County, WA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 3,238 male students and 4,925 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Thurston County, WA are White (1,229 and 54.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (334 and 14.9%), Asian (192 and 8.55%), and Two or More Races (180 and 8.02%).

The largest universities in Thurston County, WA by number of degrees awarded are South Puget Sound Community College (982 and 43.1%), The Evergreen State College (653 and 28.7%), and Saint Martin's University (593 and 26%).

The most popular majors in Thurston County, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (913 and 40.1%), Biological & Physical Sciences (95 and 4.17%), and Registered Nursing (89 and 3.91%).

The median tuition costs in Thurston County, WA are $43,600 for private four year colleges, and $7,845 and $29,826 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Thurston County, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 82.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 8,163 (39.7% men and 60.3% 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.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 8,163 students enrolled in Thurston County, WA, 39.7% men and 60.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,099 records, of which 59.6% were women and 40.4% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    550 degrees awarded
  2. General Business
    47 degrees awarded
  3. Registered Nursing
    28 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Thurston County, WA was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 550 degrees awarded.

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

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. South Puget Sound Community College
    982 degrees awarded
  2. The Evergreen State College
    653 degrees awarded
  3. Saint Martin's University
    593 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was South Puget Sound Community College with 982 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 920 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Thurston County, WA, which is 0.677 times less than the 1,359 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,229 degrees mean that there were 3.68 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 334 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($43,600) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,154) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

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.

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Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

In 2023, 1.05% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.06% of women were in the same situation.

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

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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 2023 were High School or Equivalent (1.42M), Some college (1.37M), and Bachelors Degree (1.36M).

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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Thurston County, WA was $451,500 in 2023, which is 1.49 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $411,700 to $451,500, a 9.67% increase. The homeownership rate in Thurston County, WA is 67.8%, which is higher than the national average of 65%.

People in Thurston County, WA have an average commute time of 26.3 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 $93,985. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Thurston County, WA was Census Tract 118.10, Thurston County, WA with a value of $151,484, followed by Census Tract 122.11, Thurston County, WA and Census Tract 124.20, Thurston County, WA, with respective values of $145,542 and $126,824.

In 2024, 15.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.36%.

Housing

Property

$451,500
Median Property Value 2023
±$5,096
$79,392
Median Property Taxes
±$2,127

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.

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Rent vs Own

67.8%
Homeownership
2023
67.9%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2023

In 2023, 67.8% of the housing units in Thurston County, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.3%.

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

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Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.
Race/Ethnicity
Highest Median Household Income (Total)
  1. Census Tract 118.10, Thurston County, WA
  2. Census Tract 122.11, Thurston County, WA
  3. Census Tract 124.20, Thurston County, WA

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Thurston County, WA was Census Tract 118.10, Thurston County, WA with a value of $151,484, followed by Census Tract 122.11, Thurston County, WA and Census Tract 124.20, Thurston County, WA, with respective values of $145,542 and $126,824.

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

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$93,985
Median Household Income
± $1,815
117k
Number of Households
± 2,775

In 2023, the median household income of the 117k households in Thurston County, WA grew to $93,985 from the previous year's value of $88,895.

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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Thurston County, WA is from Washington.
0.468
2023 Wage GINI in Washington
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2023, the income inequality in Washington was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.276% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023
  1. Drove Alone (69.2%)
  2. Worked At Home (17.3%)
  3. Carpooled (8.18%)

In 2023, 69.2% of workers in Thurston County, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.3%) and those who carpooled to work (8.18%).

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.

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Commute Time

26.3 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Thurston County, WA have a shorter commute time (26.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.75% 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.

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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.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2024, 15.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 1.36%.

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

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Poverty & Diversity

9.67% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Thurston County, WA (28.3k out of 293k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 25 - 34 and then Females 35 - 44.

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.

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Children in Poverty

In 2024, 9.8% of the children was living in poverty in Thurston County, WA. From 2014 to 2024, the indicator declined 6.7%.

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

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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.

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Health

95% of the population of Thurston County, WA has health coverage, with 45.7% on employee plans, 14.8% on Medicaid, 12.3% on Medicare, 16.6% on non-group plans, and 5.59% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Thurston County, WA see 1,146 patients per year on average, which represents a 6.8% increase from the previous year (1,073 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1266 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 195 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% 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 6.8% increase from the previous year (1,073 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.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.8% under 18 years, 19.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

4.95%
Uninsured
45.7%
Employer Coverage
14.8%
Medicaid
12.3%
Medicare
16.6%
Non-Group
5.59%
Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Thurston County, WA declined by 1.44% from 5.03% to 4.95%.

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.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2024, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 46.2 in Thurston County, WA.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2024, 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 32.3% in Thurston County, WA.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2024, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 6.78% in Thurston County, WA.

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

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