Olympia, WA
Census place 5351300 · pop 55,951
Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
49.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$486,200 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
96/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,012/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
14.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.44 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
17.0% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.90% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$81,302 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
30.8% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+8.6% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
6.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
9.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
51.8% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
16.5% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
26 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
Not measured for Olympia: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Olympia, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Olympia scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is air quality (aqi) and its weakest is homeownership. Washington overall ranks #24 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Olympia, WA expensive to live in?
- Olympia has a median home value of $486,200 and typical rent around $2,012/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Olympia, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is homeownership (49.8%) — 15/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Olympia, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is air quality (aqi) (26 AQI) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities. (A county-level figure.) Fun fact: The capital of Washington State, seat of the legislature on Puget Sound.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.