The Town FilesTumwater, Washington
City in Thurston County · population 25,350 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $472,200
- Household income
- $95,212
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 37.1
Tumwater is a city of 25,350 people in Thurston County, Washington. The median home is worth $472,200, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better for young professionals than 96% of Washington towns, hipper than 76% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 74% of Washington towns.
How Tumwater 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 Tumwater is worth $472,200, close to the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 5.0 times the median household income of $95,212, which is more affordable than 61% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,779 a month. 62.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tumwater | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $472,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,779 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $95,212 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 62.5% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in Tumwater
| People | Tumwater | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.9% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 10.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.5% | — |
| Work from home | 27.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.4% | 93.9% |
Weather in Tumwater
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 33.2°F. About 50.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.9 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 77 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tumwater since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F0, struck on January 28, 2006 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 4, 2019.
Severe weather in Thurston County since 1996
Thurston County has been included in 30 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 |
| March 29, 2022 | Flood | DR-4650: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5359: Bordeaux Road Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Thurston County
Thurston County had 128,824 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,043 a year. Unemployment was 4.1% in 2023; in Tumwater itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Public schools in Tumwater
13 public schools with 5,966 students, about 21.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tumwater High School | 9-12 | 1,139 | 22.8 |
| A G West Black Hills High School | 9-12 | 792 | 23.3 |
| George Bush Middle School | 6-8 | 757 | 19.4 |
| Washington Connections Academy - Mary M. Knight | K-8 | 694 | 24.8 |
| Tumwater Middle School | 6-8 | 633 | 19.8 |
| Peter G Schmidt Elementary | PK-5 | 586 | 15.8 |
| Michael T Simmons Elementary | K-5 | 442 | 14.7 |
| Tumwater Hill Elementary | PK-5 | 380 | 17.3 |
| ESD 113 Consortium Reengagement Program | 11-12 | 344 | — |
| Cascadia High School | 8-12 | 116 | 29.0 |
| New Market High School | 10-12 | 55 | 27.5 |
| Thurs Co Juv Det/Tumwater West E | 6-12 | 15 | 15.0 |
Towns near Tumwater
- Olympia, WA3.7 mi · 55,605 people · home $486,200
- Lacey, WA6.7 mi · 53,526 people · home $457,100
- Tanglewilde, WA7.7 mi · 6,265 people · home $444,900
- Yelm, WA13.3 mi · 10,617 people · home $455,300
- Rochester, WA13.6 mi · 6,064 people · home $445,300
- Grand Mound, WA13.8 mi · 3,301 people · home $411,400
- North Yelm, WA14.4 mi · 3,140 people · home $384,500
- DuPont, WA15.1 mi · 10,151 people · home $583,600
Tumwater questions
Is Tumwater, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tumwater scores better for retirees than 53% of Washington towns and quieter than 32%. 15.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Tumwater?
The median owner-occupied home in Tumwater is valued at $472,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $95,212, so homes cost about 5.0 times income. Median rent is $1,779 a month.
What is the weather like in Tumwater?
July highs average 77.6°F and January lows 33.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.6 inches of precipitation a year and 3.9 inches of snow.
Does Tumwater get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tumwater since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F0 on January 28, 2006. 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)