What percentage of people rent in Olympia, WA?

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

50.2% (±2.1 points) of the occupied homes in Olympia, WA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 12,766 renting households against 12,685 that own their home.

In Olympia, the share of households that rent went from 53.0% in 2015–2019 to 50.2% in 2020–2024 (−2.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 50.2% (±2.1 points)
Renting households: 12,766 (±590)
Median renter income: $52,563 (±$3,060)

Who rents and who owns in Olympia

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Olympia	Thurston County	Washington	United States
Renter-occupied share	50.2% (±2.1 points)	32.3% (±1.1 points)	36.2% (±0.3 points)	34.8%
Renting households	12,766 (±590)	38,412 (±1,278)	1,110,043 (±7,257)	45,017,354
Owning households	12,685 (±654)	80,487 (±1,525)	1,954,777 (±10,007)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	1.9 (±0.1)	2.2 (±0.1)	2.2 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.4 (±0.1)	2.6 (±0.0)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$52,563 (±$3,060)	$62,625 (±$3,206)	$66,868 (±$600)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$114,472 (±$7,124)	$114,954 (±$2,425)	$119,764 (±$583)	$100,009

In Olympia, the renter share is higher than in Thurston County (32.3%).

It is also higher than in Washington (36.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Thurston County, Olympia ranks 1 of 11 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 35 of 472.

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

How renting in Olympia has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	53.0% (±2.0 points)	50.2% (±2.1 points)	−2.8 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,145 (±$24)	$1,599 (±$57)	+39.7%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$59,878 (±$2,853)	$81,302 (±$4,826)	+35.8%	Up after inflation

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.

Households that rent in places near Olympia

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Olympia
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Olympia	—	50.2% (±2.1 points)	—
Tumwater	3.7 mi	37.5% (±3.5 points)	Lower
Lacey	4.6 mi	44.1% (±2.4 points)	Lower
Tanglewilde	5.4 mi	32.7% (±8.4 points)	Lower
DuPont	13 mi	38.5% (±6.6 points)	Lower
Anderson Island	13 mi	3.4% (±4.9 points)	Lower
Tenino	13 mi	24.0% (±6.6 points)	Lower
Yelm	14 mi	33.4% (±6.0 points)	Lower
Longbranch	14 mi	9.8% (±8.1 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Tumwater, WA (37.5%), Lacey, WA (44.1%), Tanglewilde, WA (32.7%).

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

Households that rent across Thurston County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
1	Olympia	50.2% (±2.1 points)
2	Lacey	44.1% (±2.4 points)
3	Tumwater	37.5% (±3.5 points)
4	Yelm	33.4% (±6.0 points)
5	Tanglewilde	32.7% (±8.4 points)
6	Grand Mound	26.4% (±12.9 points)
7	North Yelm	25.3% (±13.2 points)

Showing 7 of 11 places in Thurston County, ranked from highest to lowest.

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

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).

Is renting growing in Olympia?

In Olympia, the share of households that rent went from 53.0% in 2015–2019 to 50.2% in 2020–2024 (−2.8 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Olympia?

A renting household in Olympia has 1.9 people on average, against 2.4 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Olympia?

The median renting household in Olympia, WA has an income of $52,563 (±$3,060) a year, against $114,472 for households that own their home.

Sources

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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) 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 DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.