How old are the homes in Olympia, WA?

Name: Age of homes in Olympia, WA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

47.6% (±3.5 points) of the homes in Olympia, WA were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

11.6% were built before 1940.

13.5% were built in 2010 or later.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Built before 1980: 47.6% (±3.5 points)
Built before 1940: 11.6%
Built 2010 or later: 13.5%

When the homes in Olympia were built

Housing units by year structure built, 2020–2024
Year built	Olympia	Thurston County	Washington	United States
2020 or later	1.7% (±0.6 points)	2.6%	2.3%	2.0%
2010 to 2019	11.8% (±1.5 points)	13.1%	12.1%	9.4%
2000 to 2009	11.2% (±1.8 points)	18.9%	15.1%	13.6%
1990 to 1999	14.6% (±1.8 points)	17.7%	14.8%	12.4%
1980 to 1989	13.1% (±1.6 points)	13.9%	12.4%	12.9%
1970 to 1979	15.3% (±1.7 points)	15.5%	14.2%	14.2%
1960 to 1969	7.5% (±1.4 points)	6.8%	8.7%	9.9%
1950 to 1959	6.4% (±1.4 points)	4.1%	6.7%	9.5%
1940 to 1949	6.8% (±1.4 points)	2.7%	4.2%	4.4%
1939 or earlier	11.6% (±1.8 points)	4.6%	9.6%	11.7%

In Olympia, the share of homes built before 1980 is higher than in Thurston County (33.7%).

It is also higher than in Washington (43.4%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (49.7%).

In Thurston County, Olympia ranks 4 of 11 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest share of homes built before 1980.

Statewide, it ranks 219 of 472.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Why the age of a home matters: lead-based paint

Federal law treats housing built before 1978 as likely to contain lead-based paint.

Before a lease or sale of most pre-1978 housing, the landlord or seller must disclose any known lead-based paint and hazards and give the tenant or buyer the EPA pamphlet (42 U.S.C. § 4852d; 40 CFR part 745, subpart F; 24 CFR part 35, subpart A).

A contractor paid to renovate, repair or paint a pre-1978 home must be a certified firm, use a certified renovator and follow lead-safe work practices under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E) whenever the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of painted surface in a room or more than 20 square feet outside; window replacement and demolition always count (40 CFR 745.83).

Certification comes from EPA, or from the state where EPA has authorized the state to run the program.

The Census Bureau groups construction by decade, so the share built before 1978 lies between the share built before 1970 (32.3%) and the share built before 1980 (47.6%).

Homes built before 1980 in places near Olympia

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Olympia
Place	Distance	Homes built before 1980	Compared with this place
Olympia	—	47.6% (±3.5 points)	—
Tumwater	3.7 mi	33.6% (±4.1 points)	Lower
Lacey	4.6 mi	24.8% (±2.6 points)	Lower
Tanglewilde	5.4 mi	57.5% (±14.1 points)	Not measurably different
DuPont	13 mi	13.7% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Anderson Island	13 mi	25.4% (±14.9 points)	Lower
Tenino	13 mi	49.7% (±9.7 points)	Not measurably different
Yelm	14 mi	15.2% (±6.0 points)	Lower
Longbranch	14 mi	31.4% (±12.4 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Tumwater, WA (33.6%), Lacey, WA (24.8%), DuPont, WA (13.7%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes built before 1980 across Thurston County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes built before 1980
1	Bucoda	64.1% (±25.0 points)
2	Tanglewilde	57.5% (±14.1 points)
3	Tenino	49.7% (±9.7 points)
4	Olympia	47.6% (±3.5 points)
5	Grand Mound	37.1% (±14.6 points)
6	Tumwater	33.6% (±4.1 points)
7	Rainier	33.5% (±13.8 points)
8	Lacey	24.8% (±2.6 points)
9	Rochester	23.3% (±8.7 points)
10	North Yelm	17.9% (±13.7 points)

Showing 10 of 11 places in Thurston County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Olympia

How old are most homes in Olympia?

47.6% of homes in Olympia, WA were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Do homes in Olympia need a lead paint disclosure?

A home built before 1978 does, before it is rented or sold, unless an exemption applies (42 U.S.C. § 4852d); between 32.3% and 47.6% of homes in Olympia were built before then.

Does a contractor need lead certification to work on older homes in Olympia?

Yes, when the job disturbs more than 6 square feet of paint in a room or 20 square feet outside, or replaces a window: the firm must be certified and a certified renovator must direct the work under the Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (40 CFR part 745, subpart E).

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Olympia city, Washington

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 API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0017PE, DP04_0017PM, DP04_0018PE, DP04_0018PM, DP04_0019PE, DP04_0019PM, DP04_0020PE, DP04_0020PM, DP04_0021PE, DP04_0021PM, DP04_0022PE, DP04_0022PM, DP04_0023PE, DP04_0023PM, DP04_0024PE, DP04_0024PM, DP04_0025PE, DP04_0025PM, DP04_0026PE, DP04_0026PM

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.