Housing data for Olympia, WA
Olympia, WA has an estimated 55,951 residents and 26,795 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Thurston County.
50.2% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,599 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+8.6%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 55,951 (±43)
- Housing units
- 26,795 (±605)
- Households that rent
- 50.2%
- Median gross rent
- $1,599
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +8.6%
What stands out in Olympia
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 31.4% (±2.7 points) in Olympia, higher than in Thurston County (14.8%).
Households that rent: 50.2% (±2.1 points) in Olympia, higher than in Thurston County (32.3%).
Homes built before 1980: 47.6% (±3.5 points) in Olympia, higher than in Thurston County (33.7%).
Households without a vehicle: 7.6% (±1.3 points) in Olympia, higher than in Thurston County (4.7%).
- Types of homes in Olympia
- Renters and owners in Olympia
- Age of homes in Olympia
- Commute and cars in Olympia
Housing in Olympia at a glance
- Median rent: $1,599 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,685 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 59.6% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 50.2% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $81,302 median household income
- Home values: $486,200 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,261 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $4,396 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 31.4% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 49.8% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 47.6% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 4.1% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 60.8% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 20.0 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 475 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +8.6% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 30.7% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.6% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Olympia against Thurston County, its state and the nation
| Olympia | Thurston County | Washington | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 55,951 (±43) | 299,067 (exact) | 7,816,116 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 26,795 (±605) | 125,163 (±92) | 3,306,620 (±517) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 50.2% (±2.1 points) | 32.3% (±1.1 points) | 36.2% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,599 (±$57) | $1,736 (±$30) | $1,760 (±$7) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $81,302 (±$4,826) | $96,563 (±$1,945) | $98,141 (±$414) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $486,200 (±$10,636) | $480,300 (±$4,565) | $564,600 (±$1,940) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $4,396 (±$135) | $4,209 (±$60) | $4,556 (±$16) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 47.6% (±3.5 points) | 33.7% (±1.4 points) | 43.4% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 20.0 minutes (±1.2) | 25.8 minutes (±0.5) | 26.6 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 94.8% (±1.2 points) | 94.5% (±0.6 points) | 93.6% (±0.1 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 40.5 years (±0.9) | 40.0 years (±0.2) | 38.3 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
Olympia covers 18.2 square miles of land, about 3,071 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Olympia has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 51,534 (±53) | 55,951 (±43) | +8.6% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 23,707 (±525) | 26,795 (±605) | +13.0% | Measurable increase |
| Median gross rent | $1,145 (±$24) | $1,599 (±$57) | +39.7% | Up after inflation |
| Median home value | $297,200 (±$6,392) | $486,200 (±$10,636) | +63.6% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $59,878 (±$2,853) | $81,302 (±$4,826) | +35.8% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,787 (±$57) | $2,261 (±$62) | +26.5% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $3,106 (±$104) | $4,396 (±$135) | +41.5% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 53.0% (±2.0 points) | 50.2% (±2.1 points) | −2.8 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.4% (±2.0 points) | 4.1% (±2.1 points) | −1.3 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Olympia
In 2025, the Olympia Police Department reported 475 violent and 2,596 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Thurston County, the departments that report recorded 252 violent and 1,325 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Olympia
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98501 | 22% | 48,067 | $1,697 | $529,300 | $97,198 |
| 98506 | 15% | 18,497 | $1,461 | $490,900 | $91,596 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Olympia
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tumwater | 3.7 mi | $1,779 | $472,200 | 37.5% |
| Lacey | 4.6 mi | $1,870 | $457,100 | 44.1% |
| Tanglewilde | 5.4 mi | $1,852 | $444,900 | 32.7% |
| DuPont | 13 mi | $2,322 | $583,600 | 38.5% |
| Anderson Island | 13 mi | — | $546,300 | 3.4% |
| Tenino | 13 mi | $1,400 | $369,000 | 24.0% |
| Yelm | 14 mi | $1,626 | $455,300 | 33.4% |
| Longbranch | 14 mi | $1,750 | $396,000 | 9.8% |
Places in Washington most like Olympia
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | $1,702 | $462,400 | $81,338 | 49.2% |
| Marietta-Alderwood | $1,496 | $547,100 | $76,019 | 42.4% |
| Hazel Dell | $1,753 | $455,500 | $86,305 | 47.6% |
| Burlington | $1,746 | $466,400 | $80,475 | 55.5% |
| Everett | $1,740 | $565,300 | $83,512 | 51.0% |
| Spokane Valley | $1,353 | $382,300 | $74,042 | 41.8% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Washington.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Olympia, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,586 | $1,656 | $1,946 | $2,541 | $3,141 |
HUD income limits for Olympia, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $25,800 | $43,000 | $68,800 |
| 2 people | $29,500 | $49,150 | $78,600 |
| 3 people | $33,200 | $55,300 | $88,450 |
| 4 people | $36,850 | $61,400 | $98,250 |
| 5 people | $39,800 | $66,350 | $106,150 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $71,250 | $114,000 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $76,150 | $121,850 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $81,050 | $129,700 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $122,800.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Olympia
What is the average rent in Olympia, WA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Olympia is $1,599 (±$57) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Olympia?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Olympia, WA is $1,341 (±$82) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Olympia rent-burdened?
59.6% of renting households in Olympia pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Olympia?
Olympia has an estimated 12,766 (±590) renting households, 50.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Olympia?
The median household income in Olympia is $81,302 (±$4,826) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Olympia, WA?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $486,200 (±$10,636) for owner-occupied homes in Olympia (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Olympia growing?
In Olympia, the number of residents went from 51,534 in 2015–2019 to 55,951 in 2020–2024 (+8.6%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Olympia?
The ZIP codes that cover Olympia are 98501, 98506.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 98501?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 98501 is $1,697 (±$67) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Olympia Police Department (ORI WA0340100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Olympia city, Washington (place:51300, in state:53).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .