City · Washington
Rainier, Washington
Rainier, city, in Thurston County, Washington. Rainier had 2,495 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,369 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,455 (±29). GEOID 5357220.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,495
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,369 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,455 ±29
Median household income
$106,019
±$12,576 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$425,900
±$21,055 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$1,227
±$751 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Rainier and what county is it in?
Rainier is a city in Thurston County, Washington. It covers 1.7 square miles of land, 1,363 residents per square mile in 2020.
Rainier is in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA metropolitan statistical area (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 Rainier, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,495 people lived in Rainier on July 1, 2025, up 5.5% since 2020, faster than Washington (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 2,369 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,455 (±29).
| Measure | Rainier | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,455 ±29 | 299,067 | no clear change |
| Households | 788 ±110 | 118,899 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 3.12 ±0.44 | 2.48 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 850 ±118 | 125,163 | no clear change |
Rainier's population since 2000
From 1,492 in 2000 to 2,495 in 2025: up 67.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Rainier 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 Rainier?
The median resident of Rainier is 36.3 years old; 29.7% are under 18 and 11.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 11.4%.
| Measure | Rainier | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.3 ±4.7 | 40.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 29.7% ±5.9 pts | 20.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.5% ±3.2 pts | 18.7% | – |
| Male | 48.8% ±3.6 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 11.4% ±8.6 pts | 10.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.0% ±8.5 pts | 69.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 6.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 1.3% ±1.1 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±2.0 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.1% ±3.7 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.5% ±4.2 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.7% ±4.4 pts | 12.6% | – |
| With a disability | 23.2% ±6.3 pts | 16.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.0% ±2.0 pts | 5.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.5% ±5.9 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 22.4% ±6.7 pts | 38.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.4% ±5.2 pts | 14.9% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 85.7% ±6.8 pts | 85.4% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.3% ±2.1 pts | 3.4% | – |
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 Rainier earn?
Half of Rainier's 788 households earn less than $106,019 a year (±$12,576), against $96,563 in Thurston County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 the median was $85,765 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $20,254 after inflation. 14.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rainier | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $106,019 ±$12,576 | $96,563 | +$20,254 |
| Mean household income | $104,732 ±$10,702 | $114,140 | – |
| Per capita income | $34,592 ±$5,399 | $46,136 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.6% ±7.5 pts | 9.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 26.9% ±16.1 pts | 11.2% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 15.5% ±7.2 pts | 11.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.9% ±1.6 pts | 97.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.9% ±4.5 pts | 94.5% | – |
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 Rainier?
Owners occupy 85.8% of Rainier's occupied homes and renters 14.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $425,900 by its owner (±$21,055). The median renter pays $1,227 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Rainier | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $425,900 ±$21,055 | $480,300 | +$172,377 |
| Median gross rent | $1,227 ±$751 | $1,736 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 33.0% ±31.0 pts | 43.8% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,193 ±$176 | $2,288 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 85.8% ±6.9 pts | 67.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 14.2% ±6.9 pts | 32.3% | – |
| Housing units | 850 ±118 | 125,163 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 15.2% ±22.9 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.6% ±9.0 pts | 66.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 13.6% ±7.3 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.9% ±5.6 pts | 2.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 14.2% ±7.6 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.4% ±7.2 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 0.0% ±4.9 pts | 4.7% | – |
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 Rainier building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Rainier 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 Rainier work and get to work?
69.4% of Rainier's workers drive alone and 23.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 37.9 minutes.
| Measure | Rainier | Thurston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 62.8% ±8.2 pts | 61.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% ±4.2 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 69.4% ±9.1 pts | 66.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.7% ±2.8 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±3.8 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 23.6% ±8.8 pts | 20.5% | +13.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 37.9 min ±5.9 | 25.8 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 Rainier?
No census tract lies mostly in Rainier; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 125.30Thurston County | 4,686 | $105,327 |
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 Rainier) · Census block assignment files
How does Rainier compare with other places in Washington?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Rainier is the 6,912th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 156th-most populous of 281 in Washington.
Rainier ranks 137th 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 | 156th | 281 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 77th | 203 |
| Residents per square mile | 206th | 394 |
| Median household income | 137th | 387 |
| Per capita income | 308th | 393 |
| Median home value | 260th | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 253rd | 351 |
| Poverty rate | 62nd | 281 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 280th | 382 |
| Median age | 280th | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 92nd | 388 |
| Work from home | 87th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 31st | 394 |
Rainier's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Rainier 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 Rainier?
18 of the 57 figures for Rainier 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 Rainier 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 Rainier.