Living in University Place, WA
Suburb in Washington
University Place is a suburb in Washington, home to about 35,000 people, with 2.7 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is University Place a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 74°F
- Easy flying: SEA is 19 mi away
- Strong healthcare: 8 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
👎 Cons
- Cloudier than most places
- Pricey housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $616k, and rent is $2,730 a month
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how University Place ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in University Place: common questions
What is the cost of living in University Place?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $616k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,730 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are above the US average (index 111, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in University Place?
Washington collects about $70 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 1.04% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is University Place safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).
How are the schools in University Place?
Public schools in University Place test well above the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 20 students per teacher.
What is the weather like in University Place?
University Place has cool winters: winter days average around 47°F and summer days around 74°F.
Does University Place get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes and flooding: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.83 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to University Place?
The nearest major airport is SEA, about 19 mi away.
How University Place scores
Each bar compares University Place with the other 1,990 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).
Places like University Place
These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.
The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).
Nearby
See all the best places to live in Washington.
Is University Place right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.