Pierce County Map

About Pierce County Map

View above map of Pierce county showing interstate highwaysm other roads, airports, rivers, major cities, county seat and national parks.

Facts about Pierce County

Pierce County, Washington

Pierce County provides a unique blend of environment and economy that produces high quality of life for its citizens. Families can have careers, enjoy an abundance of cultural and recreation opportunities, while living in communities that promote family health, environmental stewardship and diversity in a sustainable balance of quality, economy and lifestyle. As of early 2026 the estimated population is 960,000 people and growing at a rate of about 1% per year. Located just south of Seattle, adjacent to the beautiful wilderness of Mount Rainier National Park, the area is attracting many families as well as commuters who work in Seattle and other areas within commuting distance. With a 2024 population of 941,170, Pierce County is the state's second most populous county of the 39 counties of the state of Washington and is part of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area with the city of Tacoma being the county seat to this region known for industry, the arts, and education. The county provides many of the amenities requested by modern society, including top quality medical centers, career choices and abundant opportunities for outdoor and other forms of recreation. All of this is achieved through a citizen centred approach that tackles the issues of affordability and sustainability through local partnerships and innovative government and governmental policy making.

Etymology and Historical Foundations

Pierce County was named for the 14th President of the United States, Franklin Pierce, and was formed from Thurston County on Dec. 22, 1852 in the Oregon Territory. The Coastal Salish people, which include the Puyallup, Nisqually and Squaxin Island tribes, have made Pierce County their home for thousands of years and thrived here by fishing, gathering and trading along the banks of the Puyallup and Nisqually rivers. The Hudson's Bay Company set up house here in the 1830s and American settlers began to arrive in greater numbers following the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854 which took more tribal lands for farming and timber. The arrival of the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1873 in what is now Tacoma sparked the beginning of an industrial period when Tacoma evolved into a major shipping and cargo hub. During World War I, the shipyards began heavy production of war vessels, and nearby to the south, the military base known as Camp Lewis was set up to train troops (now Joint Base Lewis-McChord). The county continued to adjust throughout the harsh years of the Great Depression, following years of forest and ground damage from the devastating areawide fires in 1935 and during post-war years of significant growth into the burgeoning aerospace and medical services industries while honoring tribal relationships through ceremonial and festivities events. As of February 2026, it’s relevant to note that another milestone occasion just transpired, 25 years after the 2001 6.8 magnitude Nisqually Earthquake that took place Feb. 27, 2001 to highlight the region’s overall preparedness and the ongoing spirit of unity.

Geography and Climate

The land area of Pierce County is 1,668 square miles, and water area is 137 square miles. Pierce County is Washington's 23rd largest county in terms of land area. Spanning 1,805 square miles in Western Washington, between the Puget Sound coastal lowlands and the Cascade Mountains, includes diverse landscapes. The county borders King County to the north, Kitsap County to the northwest, Thurston County to the southwest, Lewis County to the south, Yakima County to the southeast, and Kittitas County to the east. Iconic 14,410-foot tall Mount Rainier, a glacier-capped stratovolcano that is home to the Mount Rainier National Park, dominates the eastern portion of the county. The County's largest rivers, the Puyallup, Nisqually and White rivers, carve productive valleys suitable for farming. The western shore of Commencement Bay supports a significant marine economy and a rich marine environment. Lowland western parts of the county have relatively mild, wet winters with average high temperatures from 35-50°F, and warm drier summers with average high temperatures from 60-80°F, with annual precipitation amounts averaging around 40 inches. This creates a wonderful environment to enjoy the outdoors year-round. In contrast, eastern foothills have more snow and cooler temperatures, thereby providing good ski conditions during winter months and occasionally more atmospheric convergence zone-type rains that affect the entire lower Puget Sound area. The county’s diverse climate helps support many recreational and tourism industries. In August 2019, the Washington State Department of Transportation began assessing 342 aging bridges across the state in response to growing population, increased traffic, and climate changes. A pressing need in Pierce County is ongoing bridge preservation work to keep roads safe for families.

Demographics and Community Life

Data Update: 2026 Projection Demographics for Pierce County: Projected Population for 2026: 960,000 Projected Population Density for 2026: 552 people per square mile Pierce County’s population is growing in a rapidly changing world. By 2026 Tacoma and its surrounding suburbs and rural areas will be home to a diverse population of 960,000. Based on the 2024 population estimate of 941,170 (a 2.2 percent increase from the 2020 census of 921,130) the county is growing at an annual rate of 1 percent through population movement and increases. Median age is 36.8 with 5.9 percent under the age of 5, 22.5 percent under the age of 18 and 15.5 percent 65 years of age or older. The county's diversity, the need for youth and senior services and many other trends are highlighted in this data update. Data points include: Racial diversity: 71.1% White, 8.5% Black, 1.9% Native American, 8.1% Asian, 2.1% Pacific Islander, 8.3% multiracial, 13.5% Hispanic or Latino Median household income: $99,564 Poverty rate: 9.4% Achieving affordable housing with over 400 units unlocked in early 2026 for low income families and people High school graduates or higher: 92.5 percent Bachelor's degree or higher: 30.9 percent Foreign-born: 10.5 percent Other health indicators include: 9.1% of the population living in poverty, and strong community resources that promote access to health and human services to every member of the community.

Economy and Employment Landscape

Pierce County Economy 2026 Overview An economy in a state of stagnation nationally, with an unemployment rate of 5.5 percent in December 2025, 31 basis points above the national rate of 4.1 percent and only 20 basis points above the state rate of 5.3 percent, points to a slowly recovering economy battling the effects of tariffs, inflation and structural changes. The nonfarm employment level was approximately 350,500 jobs, or 1 percent below the level 12 months earlier. The healthcare and logistics segments of the economy have more promising growth prospects in the years ahead with the largest employers in the county — such as Joint Base Lewis-McChord, with an economic impact of $8 to $11 billion — and MultiCare Health System. The county's economy remains heavily diversified, with major components still anchored in the military/government, aerospace (Boeing), the healthcare sector and the Port of Tacoma (part of the Northwest Seaport Alliance, which also includes the Port of Seattle facilities), all supporting a strong retail and transportation sector. The median household income was $99,564, with per capital income still five percent below the state average of $47,648. The county's 20,000+ businesses, generating billions of dollars in payroll each year, remain a focal point for nurturing small business and innovation. Steps are being taken to mitigate the job impacts of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and to continue to provide training to all residents in an effort to secure present jobs and to enhance skills in an effort to create new jobs and to enable social mobility. Work is also being done in the rural areas of the Nisqually area to bring fiber optic cable to support the bringing down of prices for High Speed Internet and to close the digital divide impacting low income families who would like to have the opportunity to work from home.

Government and Political Dynamics

Pierce County, Washington is a charter county governed by an executive-council form of government with County Executive Ryan Mello (D) and a seven member council focusing their efforts on public safety, fiscal responsibility and resident priorities in the 2026 budget. There are a number of elected officials that carry out services ranging from assessment and taxation to law enforcement. Some of these elected officials include Assessor-Treasurer Marty Campbell, Auditor Linda Farmer, Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett and Sheriff Keith Swank. The district and superior court appoint and confirm judges to dispense what the county deems as fair and just to all residents. This information is available on their website, piercecountywa.gov. County leans slightly Democratic in past election results, but has relatively high citizen participation as seen in the February 2026 Special Election certification, and hiring of election staff for this fall’s midterm elections. The county also abides by growth management guidelines when planning infrastructure and housing in the community. This is seen in the agenda and resolutions for the Economic & Infrastructure Committee 2026 work plan.

Education and Intellectual Pursuits

Education in Pierce County PIAE 17 public school districts serve more than 120,000 K–12 students in 2025–2026. More than 92.5 percent of students graduate from high school each year, and more than 30.9 percent hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, indicating a county highly focused on education and career readiness. In addition to serving the needs of students with a range of gift and ability, the largest school districts in the county, including Tacoma and Puyallup, provide innovative educational programs to ever growing student populations. In addition to public schools, numerous private and charter schools also exist to serve diverse educational needs. Community and Technical Colleges The following colleges offer a range of postsecondary educational opportunities in Pierce County. Pierce College offers both the Associate and Bachelor degree as well as articulated programs that feed students into four year colleges and universities. Students can choose from strong liberal arts programs, such as those offered at the University of Puget Sound or can pursue professional postsecondary education, as offered by the University of Washington Tacoma (specializing in Urban Studies and Business), and Central Washington University Pierce County (specializing in distance education in the fields of Information Technology and business). The regional vocational technical colleges, Bates and community centers offer training in workforce areas that are in high demand. Students may also choose to pursue a more general studies approach, exemplified by the model of Evergreen Tacoma. WSU Extension in Pierce County is engaged in a number of community programs that can be viewed as also supporting formal education. Recent bonds, voted on by Pierce County residents, have upgraded facilities throughout the county to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to receive quality education and are adequately prepared for the workforce of the future. Furthermore, students of all ages can prepare for an increasingly technical workforce through formal, nonformal, and informal opportunities for lifelong learning in the county.

Transportation and Infrastructure

There are many reasons why Transportation is important to our 960,000 residents in Pierce County. We have highways like Interstate 5 and State Route 167 and we have public transportation through Pierce Transit. Pierce Transit is preparing a 2026 ballot measure to build the future of bus service, improve frequency and extend light rail connections. This document, the 2026–2031 Transportation Improvement Program, was adopted in November 2025 and includes funding for maintenance, bridges and safety projects such as Vision Zero that seeks to end deaths on our roads by 2035 and Safe Routes to School. Sound Transit is also building light rail projects. Our county has ferries and Amtrak to enable travel to other parts of our region. We have over 1,500 miles of county roads, including alternative modes of transportation through the County’s electric bus program and by increasing multi-modal corridors. In addition to addressing our aging bridges – valued statewide at $9.2 billion – with a $2.1 billion capital improvement program to put Pierce County in a more prepared position following the 50-year anniversary of the devastating 6.9 magnitude Nisquaddy earthquake in 1971, we have other initiatives underway such as increasing our fiber optic network for high speed internet and supporting community projects such as reducing traffic and air pollution through a local Blue Zones initiative to make sure our residents and visitors can easily and safely move throughout the county to and from work and for other important family activities.

Communities and Cultural Fabric

Communities in Pierce County blend the vibrancy of urban living with the tranquility of rural landscapes. Our 28 incorporated cities and towns are home to a vibrant population that enjoys access to diverse amenities and experiences. From the hub of culture, commerce and innovation—Tacoma, our largest city with a population of over 220,000—and growing cities like Lakewood, Puyallup and Gig Harbor, to the natural beauty of unincorporated areas, the presence of Joint Base Lewis-McChord and nearby Mount Rainier create opportunities for those in the military and those who love the outdoors. Our county’s diverse communities reflect the cultural legacies of our Puyallup and Nisqually tribal communities, our maritime history along Puget Sound and our thriving arts scene, which is on full display at our many museums and festivals, including Black History Month in 2026. Our work to put people first includes: - Gathering feedback in an online survey for the Juvenile Justice Center redesign project, due March 2026 - Aging and Disability Resource Fair on Feb. 27, 2026 As we look to the future, it’s clear that our county has a rich history and a bright and innovative future ahead of us. We look forward to continuing to put people first and to creating healthy, inclusive communities that reflect the diversity and values of all who call Pierce County home.