Population 930,319 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Pierce County
Household size in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.71 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.72 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.68 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Pierce County average 2.68 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in the wider Seattle area, where it has 2.60 people. Household size has crept up from 2.64 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.3 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.7 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.5 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Pierce County is 38.3 years old, a few years younger than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.8, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.0% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.3% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Pierce County (12.3%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are more common here than in the Seattle area overall (9.1%). The single-parent share is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Pierce County
Renters in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.8% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.9% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Pierce County rent their homes (35.3%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider Seattle area (40.0%). Just over three in ten owners (30.9%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is down 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.4% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.3% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Pierce County than nationally: 6.3%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.5 points, in line with the national trend. Pierce County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Washington counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The housing in Pierce County is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the north has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,095 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,188 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,387 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,975 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$880 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Pierce County costs $1,975 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the Seattle area overall ($2,193). Rents are up $880 a month from 2006–10, an 80% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 32.1% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Pierce County
Bachelor's degrees in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.3% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.9% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.0% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.6% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Pierce County (30.6%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.3 points, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the northwest and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.0% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.6% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 91.6% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.4% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Pierce County is a bit above the national rate: 92.4% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The Seattle area as a whole looks much the same. The share with a diploma has risen 2.4 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Pierce County
| Period | Pierce County | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.3% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.3%, unemployment in Pierce County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Pierce County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce County | 2.68 | 38.3 | 12.3% | 35.3% | 6.3% | 1984 | $1,975 | 30.6% | 92.4% | 5.3% |
| Thurston County | 2.55 | 40.8 | 9.8% | 32.3% | 5.8% | 1990 | $1,838 | 38.2% | 94.7% | 5.0% |
| King County | 2.53 | 38.6 | 7.8% | 44.6% | 7.0% | 1981 | $2,293 | 55.7% | 93.4% | 5.0% |
| Mason County | 2.62 | 45.8 | 9.2% | 17.7% | 18.9% | 1989 | $1,315 | 21.0% | 89.8% | 6.0% |
| Kitsap County | 2.56 | 41.6 | 10.0% | 29.9% | 8.4% | 1984 | $1,936 | 37.2% | 95.4% | 4.6% |
| Lewis County | 2.63 | 42.9 | 10.7% | 24.2% | 7.5% | 1979 | $1,132 | 21.7% | 91.0% | 5.3% |
| Grays Harbor County | 2.53 | 44.5 | 12.5% | 26.8% | 13.8% | 1969 | $1,074 | 17.7% | 89.0% | 7.1% |
| Kittitas County | 2.35 | 39.1 | 6.9% | 38.5% | 15.1% | 1990 | $1,542 | 38.6% | 94.1% | 5.5% |
| Chelan County | 2.61 | 41.4 | 9.6% | 35.4% | 14.2% | 1981 | $1,300 | 30.8% | 86.3% | 3.9% |
| Douglas County | 2.76 | 39.5 | 14.3% | 30.7% | 10.6% | 1986 | $1,489 | 21.7% | 82.4% | 3.7% |
| Grant County | 2.85 | 35.2 | 15.8% | 33.7% | 10.1% | 1986 | $1,156 | 19.0% | 81.7% | 6.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Honolulu County, HI · Fresno County, CA · Westchester County, NY · Duval County, FL · Marion County, IN · St. Louis County, MO · Prince George's County, MD · Milwaukee County, WI · DuPage County, IL · Pinellas County, FL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Pierce County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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