What kinds of homes are in Olympia, WA?

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

Olympia, WA has 26,795 (±605) homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is about 1,471 homes per square mile of land.

52.3% are detached single-family houses.

8.4% are in buildings of two to four units.

31.4% are in buildings of five or more units.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Housing units: 26,795 (±605)
Detached houses: 52.3%
2–4 unit buildings: 8.4%
5+ unit buildings: 31.4%

Homes in Olympia by building size

Housing units by units in structure, 2020–2024
Building type	Olympia	Thurston County	Washington	United States
Single-family, detached	52.3% (±2.1 points)	66.9%	61.9%	61.3%
Single-family, attached (townhouse, rowhouse)	5.4% (±1.2 points)	4.3%	4.4%	6.2%
2 units	3.8% (±1.1 points)	2.5%	2.3%	3.4%
3 or 4 units	4.6% (±1.2 points)	3.1%	3.5%	4.3%
5 to 9 units	5.3% (±1.1 points)	3.6%	4.3%	4.5%
10 to 19 units	9.0% (±1.5 points)	3.8%	4.9%	4.3%
20 or more units	17.1% (±2.0 points)	7.4%	13.0%	10.3%
Mobile home	2.2% (±0.5 points)	8.1%	5.5%	5.6%
Boat, RV, van, etc.	0.3% (±0.3 points)	0.4%	0.3%	0.1%

In Olympia, the share of homes in buildings of five or more units is higher than in Thurston County (14.8%).

It is also higher than in Washington (22.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (19.1%).

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units in places near Olympia

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Olympia
Place	Distance	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units	Compared with this place
Olympia	—	31.4% (±2.7 points)	—
Tumwater	3.7 mi	18.9% (±3.0 points)	Lower
Lacey	4.6 mi	21.0% (±2.8 points)	Lower
Tanglewilde	5.4 mi	13.0% (±6.2 points)	Lower
DuPont	13 mi	15.5% (±4.0 points)	Lower
Anderson Island	13 mi	0.6% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Tenino	13 mi	10.0% (±7.4 points)	Lower
Yelm	14 mi	12.9% (±5.7 points)	Lower
Longbranch	14 mi	0.0% (±2.6 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Tumwater, WA (18.9%), Lacey, WA (21.0%), Tanglewilde, WA (13.0%).

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

Homes in buildings of 5 or more units across Thurston County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes in buildings of 5 or more units
1	Olympia	31.4% (±2.7 points)
2	Lacey	21.0% (±2.8 points)
3	Tumwater	18.9% (±3.0 points)
4	Tanglewilde	13.0% (±6.2 points)
5	Yelm	12.9% (±5.7 points)
6	Tenino	10.0% (±7.4 points)
7	Rainier	6.3% (±8.3 points)

Showing 7 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 many homes are in Olympia?

Olympia, WA has an estimated 26,795 (±605) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Are most homes in Olympia houses or apartments?

52.3% are detached houses and 5.4% attached houses, while 39.8% are in buildings of two or more units.

How many two-family and small multifamily homes are in Olympia?

8.4% of homes in Olympia are in buildings of two to four units, the small rental buildings that are often owner-occupied.

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_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0007PE, DP04_0007PM, DP04_0008PE, DP04_0008PM, DP04_0009PE, DP04_0009PM, DP04_0010PE, DP04_0010PM, DP04_0011PE, DP04_0011PM, DP04_0012PE, DP04_0012PM, DP04_0013PE, DP04_0013PM, DP04_0014PE, DP04_0014PM, DP04_0015PE, DP04_0015PM

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.