City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Olympia, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Olympia - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

55,583
Residents
$76,930
Median income
$457,900
Median home
$1,960
Median rent (state)

Olympia - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Olympia places in the 58th percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

58th
percentile, household income
82nd
percentile, home value
81st
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Olympia, WA

Washington's Olympia is a small city, with 55,583 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Olympia households earn a median of $76,930 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.2%. Home values in Olympia run a median of $457,900, and the median resident age is 39.2 years. Educational attainment runs 50.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 57.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 282 residential building permits were authorized in Olympia (Construction Slowdown), down 30% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Olympia's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4000.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 50.5°F with 50.6 inches of precipitation per year and 3.9 inches of snowfall.

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,960 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Washington's average monthly utility costs around $188 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 94.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

55,583 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$76,930 /yr

Poverty 10.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Olympia compare to other US cities?

Where Olympia sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 58% higher than other cities
Home value 82% pricier than other cities
Median rent 81% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Washington and the picture shifts: Olympia ranks #135 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Olympia against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Olympia toward the top of Washington's cities

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Olympia ranks #70 - the 88th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Olympia only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#324 of 565
43rd percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#205 of 599
61st percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#236 of 565
58th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#150 of 598
74th percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#70 of 599
88th percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

58thIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

58th percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Olympia's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Olympia's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Olympia's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Olympia's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$457,900 18th percentile more affordable than 18% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Olympia $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Olympia, WA Olympia, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Olympia, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Olympia, WA median $76,930/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Olympia, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Olympia, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 50.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
55,583
Median Income
$76,930
Median Home Value
$457,900
Median Age
39.2
Poverty Rate
10.2%
Labor force participation
57.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4000.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
564.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3435.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
50.5°F
Annual Precipitation
50.6"
Annual Snowfall
3.9"

Schools

Total Schools
24
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
55,500 residents56,000 residents56,500 residents57,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 55,619 residents 56,724 residents ▲ +2.0%
Olympia's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
282
housing units authorized
Single-Family
58
detached homes
Multifamily
224
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 401
2020 196
2021 263
2022 338
2023 191
2024 282

Permit volume decreased 30% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
62.7%
Carpool
8.0%
Public Transit
2.5%
Walk
4.4%
Work from Home
20.5%
Other
1.9%

Based on 27,073 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Olympia sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,960/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Lacey
57,088 people
Shoreline
59,280 people
Burien
51,331 people
Richland
61,912 people
Bothell
48,610 people
Lakewood
63,034 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Olympia's 55,583 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Coeur d'Alene, ID
55,558 people
Arcadia, CA
55,550 people
Southaven, MS
55,531 people
Mount Prospect, IL
55,648 people
Apple Valley, MN
55,696 people
New Brunswick, NJ
55,744 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Olympia's $76,930 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

La France, SC
$76,926 median income
Boulder Hill, IL
$76,935 median income
Lake Isabella, MI
$76,923 median income
Hustisford, WI
$76,938 median income
South San Gabriel, CA
$76,921 median income
Moore, OK
$76,941 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Olympia, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Olympia, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.9% 6.7% 11.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.3% White 75.9% Black or African American 2.6% Asian 6.7% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 1.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 11.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Olympia compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Olympia (this city) 55,583 $76,930
Lacey 57,088 $87,277
Shoreline 59,280 $113,336
Burien 51,331 $90,597
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Olympia, WA?

What is the population of Olympia, WA? +

Olympia, WA counts 55,583 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Olympia, WA? +

The median household income in Olympia is $76,930 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Olympia? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Olympia; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Olympia, WA safe? +

Olympia has a total crime rate of 4000.0 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Olympia, WA? +

A typical home in Olympia is worth $457,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Olympia? +

Olympia has an average annual temperature of 50.5°F, 50.6 inches of precipitation, and 3.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.