University Place, Washington Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
University Place, WA Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above average
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B
Income Around average
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B
Education Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | University Place | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,063 | 7,801,159 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3886.3 | 109.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 2.10% | 1.21% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.3 | 36.2 | 37.3 |
| Households | 13,279 | 3,058,619 | 130,235,071 |
Population in University Place grew by 25.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 33,063 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in University Place is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.3% of residents. That is 0.9 points above Washington as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,386 22.3% +0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,037 21.3% -2.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 6,403 19.4% -0.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,484 16.6% +0.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Washington, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.8% of the people living in University Place and men 48.2%.
- Women 51.8% Washington 49.7%
- Men 48.2% Washington 50.3%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in University Place
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Economy
University Place has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | University Place | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $94,954 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 6.53% | 5.64% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in University Place is about 3% lower than in Washington.
Housing
| Metric | University Place | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $315,078 | $485,016 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,775 | $1,759 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 52.6% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in University Place is about 14.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,775 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in University Place spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 188 hours, about 7.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | University Place | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.5 | 22.4 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.0 | 44.8 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 188 | 187 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,816 | $5,785 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 15.1% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | — | 10,119 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,278 | 1,525 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in University Place is 23 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Washington.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
University Place has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | University Place | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.3% | 35.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 2.50 | 2.53 |
Health
University Place has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | University Place | Washington Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 12.0% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.4% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
University Place, WA Compared With Nearby Cities
How University Place, WA compares with the 1 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University Place, WA | 33,063 | $94,954 #1/2 | $315,078 #2/2 | 22.5 min #1/2 |
| Lakewood, WA | 63,883 | $74,297 | $345,196 | 23.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about University Place, Washington.
What is the population of University Place, Washington?
About 33,063 people live in University Place, Washington, in 13,279 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 37.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is University Place, Washington?
Averaged over its land area, University Place, Washington has 3,886 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 45 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is University Place, Washington an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.3 times the median household income ($315,078 against $94,954), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,775 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
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