Census-designated place · Washington
Key Center, Washington
Key Center, census-designated place, in Pierce County, Washington. Key Center had 3,863 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,544 (±492). GEOID 5335555.
Residents, 2020 Census
3,863
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 3,544 ±492
Median household income
$105,781
±$11,234 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$613,200
±$55,515 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$1,705
±$719 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Key Center and what county is it in?
Key Center is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Pierce County, Washington. It covers 14.6 square miles of land, 264 residents per square mile in 2020.
Key Center 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 Key Center, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 3,863 residents in Key Center, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 3,544 (±492).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Key Center is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Key Center | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,544 ±492 | 930,319 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,441 ±194 | 351,330 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.46 ±0.25 | 2.59 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,704 ±196 | 369,709 | no clear change |
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 Key Center?
The median resident of Key Center is 45.9 years old; 18.0% are under 18 and 20.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 11.8%. 2.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Key Center | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 ±4.5 | 37.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.0% ±3.3 pts | 23.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.1% ±4.0 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Male | 50.7% ±3.8 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.2% ±2.5 pts | 12.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.1% ±7.6 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 6.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 11.8% ±7.2 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0% ±1.3 pts | 10.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.4% ±1.9 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.9% ±3.3 pts | 10.9% | – |
| With a disability | 17.1% ±5.5 pts | 14.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.6% ±3.6 pts | 5.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.9% ±2.2 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.3% ±5.8 pts | 30.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 11.2% ±4.1 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.1% ±4.9 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.1 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 Key Center earn?
Half of Key Center's 1,441 households earn less than $105,781 a year (±$11,234), against $99,564 in Pierce County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 it was $97,131 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Key Center | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $105,781 ±$11,234 | $99,564 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $132,915 ±$17,205 | $124,488 | – |
| Per capita income | $54,349 ±$7,891 | $47,648 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.7% ±5.8 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 3.9% ±7.9 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5% ±5.4 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.5% ±1.7 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.4% ±2.0 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 Key Center?
Owners occupy 87.7% of Key Center's occupied homes and renters 12.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $613,200 by its owner (±$55,515). The median renter pays $1,705 a month including utilities, and 76.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Key Center | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $613,200 ±$55,515 | $526,600 | +$220,855 |
| Median gross rent | $1,705 ±$719 | $1,806 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 76.9% ±24.8 pts | 42.6% | +36.9 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,264 ±$325 | $2,423 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 87.7% ±5.9 pts | 64.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 12.3% ±5.9 pts | 35.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,704 ±196 | 369,709 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 4.5% ±5.0 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.2% ±14.9 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 81.9% ±7.1 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 15.4% ±6.6 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.3% ±2.7 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 4.9% ±2.9 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.0% ±2.0 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.4% ±3.9 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 do people in Key Center work and get to work?
76.2% of Key Center's workers drive alone and 10.4% work from home. The average trip to work takes 36.1 minutes.
| Measure | Key Center | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.4% ±7.3 pts | 66.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% ±5.3 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.2% ±11.1 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.4% ±9.6 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.6% ±1.1 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.4% ±5.9 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 36.1 min ±5.0 | 31.3 min | no clear change |
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 Key Center?
No census tract lies mostly in Key Center; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 726.02Pierce County | 4,190 | $94,449 |
| Tract 726.01Pierce County | 5,107 | $112,089 |
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 Key Center) · Census block assignment files
How does Key Center compare with other places in Washington?
Key Center ranks 138th of 387 places in Washington with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 236th | 393 |
| Residents per square mile | 382nd | 394 |
| Median household income | 138th | 387 |
| Per capita income | 112th | 393 |
| Median home value | 130th | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 166th | 351 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 182nd | 382 |
| Median age | 85th | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 73rd | 388 |
| Work from home | 240th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 45th | 394 |
Key Center's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Key Center 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 Key Center?
19 of the 57 figures for Key Center 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 Key Center 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' school search.