The Town Files

South Creek, Washington

Community in Pierce County · population 2,519 (2020 Census)

Map: where South Creek is in WashingtonSouth Creek
Median home
$610,600
Household income
$84,759
Jan low / Jul high
33° / 76°
Snow a year
5 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
2
Median age
52.3

South Creek is a community of 2,519 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $610,600, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks quieter than 76% of Washington towns, easier by car than 75% of Washington towns.

South Creek in our rankings:

How South Creek 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.

South Creek lifestyle rankings vs other Washington townsRetirement36th pctFamilies40th pctQuiet76th pctWalkability1st pctFirst-time buyers48th pctYoung professionals1st pctVibrancy18th pctHip & trendybottomCollege town6th pctUpscale19th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCyclingbottomTransitbottomDriving75th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in South Creek is worth $610,600, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 7.2 times the median household income of $84,759, which is more affordable than 9% of Washington towns. 84.4% of households own their home.

South Creek vs Pierce County vs typical Washington townSouth CreekPierce CountyTypical Washington townHome value$610,600$526,600$475,000Household income$84,759$99,564$90,625
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Washington towns with 500+ people.
HousingSouth CreekTypical Washington town
Median home value$610,600$475,000
Median rent—$1,597
Median household income$84,759$90,625
Home value ÷ income7.2×5.3×
Homeownership84.4%74.4%
Median year built19881985
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in South Creek

PeopleSouth CreekTypical Washington town
Median age52.340.1
Age 65 and over16.8%17.9%
Under 1817.7%—
Bachelor's degree or higher7.6%27.6%
Below the poverty line3.2%8.5%
Veterans16.0%—
Born outside the U.S.10.1%—
Work from home20.4%13.4%
Average commute44.1 min27.1 min
Homes with broadband91.3%93.9%

Weather in South Creek

July highs average 75.7°F and January lows 33.3°F. About 45.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.1 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 60 nights at or below freezing.

South Creek monthly temperatures and precipitation30°40°50°60°70°80°32° freezing46°33°Jan48°33°Feb52°36°Mar57°39°Apr64°45°May69°49°Jun76°52°Jul77°53°Aug70°48°Sep59°42°Oct50°36°Nov45°33°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue6.11.34.30.74.80.53.93.02.30.90.91.84.17.11.36.01.4
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Mcmillin Rsvr station (11.3 mi away); snowfall estimated from the 3 nearest snow stations, weighted by distance.

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Creek since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 30, 2013 about 6.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 30, 2013.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of South Creek by decade01950s01960s11970s01980s01990s02000s12010s02020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996

Storm events in Pierce County since 1996 by typeHail1Flood3Tornado7Lightning5Heavy Rain9Debris Flow2Funnel Cloud3Thunderstorm Wind1
NOAA Storm Events Database, Pierce County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996).

Pierce County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
April 7, 2026FloodDR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
December 12, 2025FloodEM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides
September 9, 2020FireFM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire
March 22, 2020BiologicalDR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-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 South Creek itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.

Largest industries in Pierce CountyHealth care & social assistan…56,625 jobs · $73,448Retail36,054 jobs · $48,401Hotels & restaurants29,575 jobs · $31,104Administrative & support24,342 jobs · $62,838Construction23,993 jobs · $83,055Transportation & warehousing20,071 jobs · $69,788
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Pierce County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Pierce 4.7%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Towns near South Creek

South Creek questions

Is South Creek, Washington a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, South Creek scores better for retirees than 36% of Washington towns and quieter than 76%. 16.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 52.3).

How much does a house cost in South Creek?

The median owner-occupied home in South Creek is valued at $610,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,759, so homes cost about 7.2 times income. Median rent is — a month.

What is the weather like in South Creek?

July highs average 75.7°F and January lows 33.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.1 inches of precipitation a year and 5.1 inches of snow.

Does South Creek get tornadoes?

2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of South Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 30, 2013. The typical Washington town has had 1.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to South Creek's Census boundary (GEOID 5365810). Comparisons use the median of Washington towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-12.