The Town FilesAnderson Island, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 1,302 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $546,300
- Household income
- $80,282
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 1
- Median age
- 61.6
Anderson Island is a community of 1,302 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $546,300, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks quieter than 98% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 98% of Washington towns, better for retirees than 91% of Washington towns.
How Anderson Island ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Anderson Island is worth $546,300, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.8 times the median household income of $80,282, which is more affordable than 13% of Washington towns. 96.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Anderson Island | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $546,300 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | — | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $80,282 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.8× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 96.6% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 26.3% | — |
Who lives in Anderson Island
| People | Anderson Island | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.6 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 39.8% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 0.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.1% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 30.1% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 35.5 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Anderson Island
July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 36.4°F. About 42.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.9 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 21 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Anderson Island since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on September 24, 1981 about 6.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 24, 1981.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 333,492 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,395 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Anderson Island itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Anderson Island
1 public school with 23 students, about 7.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Island Elementary | PK-3 | 23 | 7.7 |
Towns near Anderson Island
- DuPont, WA3.3 mi · 10,151 people · home $583,600
- Steilacoom, WA4.4 mi · 6,727 people · home $655,000
- North Fort Lewis, WA4.5 mi · 5,978 people · home —
- Longbranch, WA6.5 mi · 4,141 people · home $396,000
- Fort Lewis, WA6.6 mi · 14,052 people · home —
- Lakewood, WA7.3 mi · 63,612 people · home $461,200
- Fox Island, WA7.6 mi · 3,921 people · home $1,003,900
- University Place, WA7.8 mi · 34,866 people · home $624,800
Anderson Island questions
Is Anderson Island, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Anderson Island scores better for retirees than 91% of Washington towns and quieter than 98%. 39.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.6).
How much does a house cost in Anderson Island?
The median owner-occupied home in Anderson Island is valued at $546,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $80,282, so homes cost about 6.8 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Anderson Island?
July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 36.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.0 inches of precipitation a year and 2.9 inches of snow.
Does Anderson Island get tornadoes?
1 tornado has passed within 10 miles of Anderson Island since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on September 24, 1981. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)