Median Income
$89,658
household / year
Median Home Value
$509,900
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,565
gross / month
Cost of Living
113
national avg = 100

Is University Place, WA a Good Place to Live?

University Place is a small city of 34,696 in Washington, with a median household income of $89,658 and a 3.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 113 (US average = 100), which is 13% above the national average.

Strengths: University Place stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an above-average cost of living, high home prices. Whether University Place is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All University Place city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 113.0

University Place's overall cost of living index is 113.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in University Place costs roughly 13% more than the average American city.

Metric University Place, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $509,900 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,565 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 58.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $89,658 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

University Place's violent crime rate is 236.5 per 100,000 residents — 38% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
236.5 /100k
Property Crime
1923.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

University Place is served primarily by University Place School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.0:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric University Place, WA National Avg
School District University Place School District —
Elementary Schools 4 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 19.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 41.8% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

University Place sees average highs of 46.3°F in January and 75.5°F in July, with 43.4 inches of annual precipitation and 0.3 inches of snow per year.

MetricUniversity Place, WA
Average High — January46.3°F
Average High — July75.5°F
Annual Precipitation43.4"
Annual Snowfall0.3"

Demographics

MetricUniversity Place, WANational Avg
Population34,696—
Median Age38.638.9
Unemployment Rate3.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time27.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)64.7%59.3%
Black or African American7.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.0%18.9%
Asian11.2%6.3%
Under 1823.5%22.2%
65 and over18.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Fircrest, WA 2 mi Lakewood, WA 4 mi Steilacoom, WA 4 mi Tacoma, WA 5 mi Wollochet, WA 5 mi

ZIP Codes in University Place

University Place, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

98467 98466

University Place vs Other Cities

University Place, WA vs Fircrest, WA University Place, WA vs Lakewood, WA University Place, WA vs Steilacoom, WA University Place, WA vs Tacoma, WA University Place, WA vs Wollochet, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

University Place's cost of living index is 113, where 100 is the national average. That puts University Place roughly 13% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $509,900 and median rent is $1,565/month.
University Place's violent crime rate is 236.5 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1923.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in University Place are operated by University Place School District. The district has 4 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19.0:1. 41.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
University Place, WA has a population of 34,696, a median household income of $89,658, and an unemployment rate of 3.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
University Place averages 46.3°F in January and 75.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.4 inches with about 0.3 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
University Place, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 98467, 98466.
The population of University Place, Washington is 34,696 with a median age of 38.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in University Place: cost of living index 113 (100 = US average), median home $509,900, median household income $89,658, crime index 74 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare University Place side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.