Population 35,797 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in University Place
Household size in University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.43 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.46 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.17 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in University Place average 2.59 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 2.43, even as the national average fell. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the northeast.
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 University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.1 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.6 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in University Place are younger than 40.1 and half are older, the same as the national median. The median age has climbed from 38.5 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the west.
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 University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.3% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are less common in University Place than nationally: 9.3%, against 11.6%. The Seattle area as a whole looks much the same. The single-parent share has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 University Place
Renters in University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.2% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 46.9% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.5% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.6% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in University Place rent their homes (44.6%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 39.3% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the west. The renter share is down 0.6 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 University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.1% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in University Place than nationally: 5.9%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Seattle area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
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 University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in University Place are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the west 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 University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,022 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,115 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,347 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,987 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$965 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
Rent in University Place runs $1,987 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in the Seattle area overall ($2,193). Rent has climbed $965 a month since 2006–10, up 94%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.1% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 University Place
Bachelor's degrees in University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.6% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.9% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.2% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.2% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in University Place than nationally: 41.2% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Still, the share is lower than in the Seattle area as a whole (46.3%). The share with a degree has risen 7.6 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.7% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.8% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.3% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in University Place: 95.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 0.6 points, a smaller shift than 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 University Place
| Period | University Place | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.3% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.3% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.9% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in University Place is close to the national rate: 5.0% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. 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).
University Place compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Place | 2.59 | 40.1 | 9.3% | 44.6% | 5.9% | 1980 | $1,987 | 41.2% | 95.3% | 5.0% |
| Fircrest | 2.49 | 44.9 | 9.7% | 26.7% | 3.1% | 1972 | $1,628 | 49.6% | 98.3% | 6.2% |
| Lakewood | 2.43 | 39.5 | 12.1% | 52.9% | 8.8% | 1976 | $1,672 | 23.4% | 88.2% | 5.6% |
| Steilacoom | 2.44 | 41.7 | 7.8% | 33.7% | 5.1% | 1979 | $2,041 | 46.9% | 92.7% | 6.6% |
| Tacoma | 2.49 | 38.3 | 13.5% | 41.9% | 5.6% | 1968 | $1,845 | 32.6% | 90.2% | 6.2% |
| Fox Island | 2.40 | 52.7 | 5.0% | 7.3% | 11.6% | 1991 | $1,799 | 49.9% | 94.8% | 3.5% |
| Ruston | 1.81 | 48.4 | 4.9% | 41.7% | 3.7% | 1981 | $2,022 | 50.0% | 98.5% | 1.0% |
| Midland | 2.77 | 35.4 | 17.2% | 43.2% | 6.5% | 1981 | $1,532 | 20.7% | 88.4% | 4.3% |
| Parkland | 2.70 | 36.8 | 14.1% | 48.9% | 7.1% | 1978 | $1,655 | 19.1% | 90.2% | 6.3% |
| North Fort Lewis | 3.57 | 23.9 | 2.4% | 99.2% | 3.3% | 2002 | $2,475 | 26.9% | 96.8% | 11.9% |
| Artondale | 2.63 | 44.9 | 4.6% | 13.9% | 4.2% | 1989 | $2,280 | 56.1% | 98.0% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Kinston, NC · Greenville, TX · Harker Heights, TX · Hudsonville, MI · Huntington, NY · Huntington Station, NY · Hyde Park, MA · Inver Grove Heights, MN · Irmo, SC · Isabela, PR
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 University Place. 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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