University Place, WA

Census Place

2024 Population

34,911

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2024 Median Age

40.1

3.08% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

8.18%

4.6% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$99,031

4.3% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$624,800

Population & Diversity

University Place, WA is home to a population of 34.9k people, from which 94.8% are citizens.

As of 2024, 13.4% of University Place, WA residents were born outside of the country (4.68k people).

In 2024, there were 5.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (20.6k people) in University Place, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.75k Asian (Non-Hispanic) and 2.87k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.8%

2024 Citizenship

95.5%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 94.8% of University Place, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in University Place, WA was 95.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in University Place, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
20.6k ± 980
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
3.75k ± 538
Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
2.87k ± 481

12.4%

Hispanic Population

4.34k people

12.4% of the people in University Place, WA are hispanic (4.34k people).

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

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place 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

13.4%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

4.68k people

13.4%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

4.68k people

As of 2024, 13.4% of University Place, WA residents (4.68k 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 University Place, WA was 13.4%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
829 ± 200
Gulf War (2001-)
735 ± 177
Gulf War (1990s)
369 ± 164

University Place, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.13 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in University Place, WA.

Economy

The economy of University Place, WA employs 17.1k people. In 2024, the largest industries in University Place, WA were Health Care & Social Assistance (3,240 people), Retail Trade (2,244 people), and Educational Services (1,770 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($106,618), Information ($104,306), and Public Administration ($95,765).

Employment

Occupations

17.1k

2024 Value

± 1,074

0.441%

1 Year growth

± 8.88%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in University Place, WA grew at a rate of 0.441%, from 17k employees to 17.1k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in University Place, WA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (2,293 people), Management Occupations (1,920 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,899 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of University Place, 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

17.1k

2024 Value

± 1,074

0.441%

1 Year growth

± 8.88%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in University Place, WA grew at a rate of 0.441%, from 17k employees to 17.1k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in University Place, WA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (3,240 people), Retail Trade (2,244 people), and Educational Services (1,770 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of University Place, WA, though some of these residents may live in University Place, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$66,848

Median earning men ± $7,908

$50,663

Median earning women ± $3,888

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Information ($150,375), Public Administration ($101,806), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($98,333).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Construction ($93,235), Information ($90,431), and Wholesale Trade ($73,220).

Housing & Living

The median property value in University Place, WA was $624,800 in 2024, which is 1.88 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $578,100 to $624,800, a 8.08% increase. The homeownership rate in University Place, WA is 57.2%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in University Place, WA have an average commute time of 28 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in University Place, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$624,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$19,256

$7,826

Median Property Taxes

±$601

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 University Place, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

57.2%

Homeownership

2024

64.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 57.2% of the housing units in University Place, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 58.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in University Place, 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.

$99,031

Median Household Income

± $4,916

13.7k

Number of Households

± 893

In 2024, the median household income of the 13.7k households in University Place, WA grew to $99,031 from the previous year's value of $94,952.

The following chart displays the households in University Place, 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 $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for University Place, 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 (69.2%)
Worked At Home (16.9%)
Carpooled (9.24%)

In 2024, 69.2% of workers in University Place, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (16.9%) and those who carpooled to work (9.24%).

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

28 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in University Place, WA have a longer commute time (28 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.55% of the workforce in University Place, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

8.18% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in University Place, WA (2.84k out of 34.8k 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 18 - 24, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 75+.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in University Place, 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.

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.

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