City · Washington
Fife, Washington
Fife, city, in Pierce County, Washington. Fife had 11,061 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 10,999 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 10,949 (±35). GEOID 5323795.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
11,061
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 10,999 · ACS 2020-2024: 10,949 ±35
Median household income
$90,532
±$7,680 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$543,100
±$27,089 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$1,889
±$71 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Fife and what county is it in?
Fife is a city in Pierce County, Washington. It covers 5.8 square miles of land, 1,885 residents per square mile in 2020.
Fife is in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Fife, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 11,061 people lived in Fife on July 1, 2025, up 1.0% since 2020, slower than Washington (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 10,999 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 10,949 (±35).
| Measure | Fife | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 10,949 ±35 | 930,319 | +853 |
| Households | 4,078 ±192 | 351,330 | +291 |
| Average household size | 2.68 ±0.12 | 2.59 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,315 ±217 | 369,709 | +295 |
Fife's population since 2000
From 4,784 in 2000 to 11,061 in 2025: up 131.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Fife as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Fife?
The median resident of Fife is 31.3 years old; 26.7% are under 18 and 7.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 37.7%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 15.7%. 23.5% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Fife | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.3 ±1.2 | 37.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.7% ±2.7 pts | 23.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 7.2% ±1.4 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Male | 49.7% ±2.2 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 15.2% ±3.6 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 37.7% ±4.1 pts | 61.4% | −7.4 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 13.3% ±3.6 pts | 7.0% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 15.7% ±3.2 pts | 6.8% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 7.2% ±3.4 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.0% ±2.9 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 23.5% ±3.1 pts | 10.9% | +4.6 pts |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 33.5% ±4.0 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.8% ±2.3 pts | 10.9% | – |
| With a disability | 8.3% ±1.5 pts | 14.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.9% ±1.7 pts | 5.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 91.1% ±2.3 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.9% ±3.6 pts | 30.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.9% ±1.6 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 83.0% ±3.8 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.9% ±0.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Fife earn?
Half of Fife's 4,078 households earn less than $90,532 a year (±$7,680), against $99,564 in Pierce County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 it was $81,403 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Fife | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $90,532 ±$7,680 | $99,564 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $106,588 ±$7,498 | $124,488 | – |
| Per capita income | $39,696 ±$3,252 | $47,648 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 11.2% ±3.5 pts | 8.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.7% ±6.8 pts | 10.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.6% ±3.3 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.8% ±1.6 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.7% ±2.3 pts | 94.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Fife?
Owners occupy 46.3% of Fife's occupied homes and renters 53.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $543,100 by its owner (±$27,089). The median renter pays $1,889 a month including utilities, and 43.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Fife | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $543,100 ±$27,089 | $526,600 | +$188,045 |
| Median gross rent | $1,889 ±$71 | $1,806 | +$226 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 43.9% ±6.7 pts | 42.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,630 ±$131 | $2,423 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 46.3% ±4.4 pts | 64.7% | +5.9 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 53.7% ±4.4 pts | 35.3% | – |
| Housing units | 4,315 ±217 | 369,709 | +295 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.9% ±1.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.2% ±2.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 41.4% ±3.2 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 3.0% ±1.4 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.0% ±0.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 14.5% ±3.3 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.9% ±1.8 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.0% ±1.5 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Fife building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Fife in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.4 across Washington.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Fife work and get to work?
75.9% of Fife's workers drive alone and 11.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 26.9 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 5.2%.
| Measure | Fife | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 76.1% ±3.2 pts | 66.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% ±1.9 pts | 5.2% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 75.9% ±3.8 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.8% ±2.7 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.9% ±0.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.5% ±1.3 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.2% ±2.2 pts | 13.9% | +7.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.9 min ±1.9 | 31.3 min | −3.5 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Fife?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Fife, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $82,083 (Tract 9400.02) to $131,068 (Tract 9400.13).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9400.12Pierce County | 4,142 | $86,156 |
| Tract 9400.13Pierce County | 4,093 | $131,068 |
| Tract 9400.02Pierce County | 3,901 | $82,083 |
| Tract 9400.09Pierce County | 4,184 | $139,917 |
| Tract 9400.10Pierce County | 4,824 | $86,005 |
| Tract 707.03Pierce County | 6,625 | $96,469 |
| Tract 602Pierce County | 1,502 | $92,650 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Fife) · Census block assignment files
How does Fife compare with other places in Washington?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Fife is the 2,993rd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 87th-most populous of 281 in Washington.
Fife ranks 212th of 387 places in Washington with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 87th | 281 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 141st | 203 |
| Residents per square mile | 153rd | 394 |
| Median household income | 212th | 387 |
| Per capita income | 254th | 393 |
| Median home value | 173rd | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 114th | 351 |
| Poverty rate | 126th | 281 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 209th | 382 |
| Median age | 365th | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 373rd | 388 |
| Work from home | 228th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 200th | 394 |
Fife's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Fife with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Fife?
6 of the 57 figures for Fife on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Fife are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Fife.