The Town FilesKey Center, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 3,863 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $613,200
- Household income
- $105,781
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 45.9
Key Center is a community of 3,863 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $613,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more seaside character than 90% of Washington towns, better for a vacation home than 88% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 85% of Washington towns.
How Key Center 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 Key Center is worth $613,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $105,781, which is more affordable than 36% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,705 a month. 87.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Key Center | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $613,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,705 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $105,781 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 87.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.0% | — |
Who lives in Key Center
| People | Key Center | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.7% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 7.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 36.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Key Center
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 0.3 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
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Key Center since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on October 18, 2019 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 18, 2019.
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 Key Center itself the ACS puts it at 6.2%.
Public schools in Key Center
1 public school with 462 students, about 18.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Key Peninsula Middle School | 6-8 | 462 | 18.5 |
Towns near Key Center
- Artondale, WA5.1 mi · 13,641 people · home $734,400
- Wauna, WA5.4 mi · 4,421 people · home $503,300
- Rosedale, WA5.8 mi · 4,357 people · home $887,600
- Fox Island, WA7.2 mi · 3,921 people · home $1,003,900
- Gig Harbor, WA7.2 mi · 12,029 people · home $767,100
- Longbranch, WA7.4 mi · 4,141 people · home $396,000
- Canterwood, WA7.8 mi · 3,572 people · home $892,400
- Wollochet, WA9.0 mi · 6,769 people · home $889,900
Key Center questions
Is Key Center, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Key Center scores better for retirees than 46% of Washington towns and quieter than 62%. 20.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.9).
How much does a house cost in Key Center?
The median owner-occupied home in Key Center is valued at $613,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $105,781, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,705 a month.
What is the weather like in Key Center?
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 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Key Center get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Key Center since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on October 18, 2019. 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)