Mountain
City
Sea

Crystal Mountain Gig Harbor Mt. Rainier Lakewood Puyallup Tacoma Sumner DuPont Fife

Pierce County Resources

Find needed information for your visit or relocation to Pierce County.

About Pierce County:
[From Washington State Office of Financial Management, figures accurate as of 2015]

Size

  • Pierce County area: 1,669.51 square miles
  • Pierce County population: 830,120
  • City of Tacoma population: 211,277
  • Tacoma: second most populous metropolitan area in Washington State
  • Tacoma: third most populous city [after Seattle + Spokane]

Weather

  • Summer [70-80 degrees F]; Fall [45-65 degrees F]; Winter [40-50 degrees F]; Spring [45-65 degrees F]
  • Average rainfall 39 inches [less than New York, Boston, Houston and Miami], 75 percent of which falls October through March; Driest month: July; Wettest month: December

Largest communities

  • Tacoma [pop. 211,277]: revitalized downtown, six major museums, Chihuly Bridge of Glass, many restaurants
  • Lakewood [pop. 60,665]: beautiful lakes, gardens and 340-acre Fort Steilacoom Park
  • Puyallup [pop. 40,640]: Washington State Fair, Daffodil Festival, “Arts Downtown” Outdoor Gallery

Distance from Tacoma to:

  • Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: approximately 25 miles
  • Seattle: approximately 35 miles
  • Portland, OR: approximately 144 miles
  • Vancouver, BC, Canada: approximately 174 miles

Local policies

  • Bring Your Own Bag: Thin, plastic checkout bags are no longer distributed at Tacoma retail stores, and stores are required to collect a minimum of five cents for each recycled paper or reusable checkout bag requested by customers.  
  • Cannabis: Recreational marijuana use by adults - including adult visitors from out of state - is legal in Washington State, but there are restrictions on its use. Make sure and read up on the law.

Area links


Relocation links