Living in Olympia, WA
Small city in Washington
Olympia is a small city in Washington, home to about 56,000 people, with 997,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is Olympia a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 76°F
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
- Easy flying: SEA is 39 mi away
- Dog-friendly: 6 dog parks within 9 mi
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Fewer family amenities than most places
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Disaster-prone: 11 federally declared disasters since 2000, mainly earthquakes and flooding
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Olympia ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Olympia: common questions
What is the cost of living in Olympia?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $520k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,610 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 104, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Olympia?
Washington collects about $70 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.92% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Olympia safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.3× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Olympia?
Olympia has cool winters: winter days average around 47°F and summer days around 76°F, with roughly 4″ of snow a year.
Does Olympia get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is high, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 3.85 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Olympia?
The nearest major airport is SEA, about 39 mi away.
How Olympia scores
Each bar compares Olympia with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Nearby
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Is Olympia right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.