Lakewood, WA

Lakewood, Washington

Introduction to Lakewood, Washington

Lakewood, Washington, in Pierce county, is 31 miles S of Seattle, Washington. Lakewood was established in 1998. The landscape includes prairie, wooded areas, numerous lakes and creeks. Puget Sound is nearby. McCord Air Force Base and Fort Lewis are in the vicinity. Fort Lewis is one of the major employers in the county.

Lakewood History

The Steilacoom and Nisqually Indians were the original inhabitants. The Hudson Bay Company was established by the British in 1833 for fur trading. Settlers arrived and established farms on the prairie. Fort Steilacoom was constructed to reduce Indian uprisings. Several mills were built during the 1850's. In the late 1800's the prairie began to be filled with homes and roads.

Lakewood Attractions

• Lakewold Gardens offers a view of Gravelly Lake and features a variety of attractive gardens.
• Lakewood Towne Center is a popular shopping destination.
• Lakewood Playhouse offers a variety of plays, musicals and comedies.
• Historic Fort Steilacoom features several historic buildings.
• Fort Lewis Military Museum includes tanks, a cannon and a collection of uniforms.
• McCord's Air Museum showcases numerous aircraft.
• Thornewood Castle is a large, impressive structure.
• Lakewood History Museum.
• Museum Antiques & Aviation Museum.
• Mt. Rainer Scenic Railroad.

Lakewood Activities

American Lake is popular for picnics, boating, swimming and is utilized by sea planes. Fort Steilacoom Park features walking and bicycle trails and is situated along Waughop Lake. The Northwest Trek Wildlife Park provides opportunities to see elk, bison, big horn sheep and moose. The nearby scenic Mount Rainer National Park features an impressive volcano, numerous glaciers, waterfalls and lakes and scenic hiking trails. The Lakewood Game Refuge includes walking and bicycle riding trails. There are numerous golf courses in the area including Fort Steilacoom Golf Course, Meadow Park Golf Course, Oakbrook Golf & Country Club and Tacoma County & Golf Club.

Lakewood Higher Education

Clover Park Technical College, Pierce College, University of Washington-Tacoma Campus, Troy University, Evergreen State College, Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Puget Sound are nearby.

High Points

Lakewood strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Washington):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 4%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 17%

Comparative Profile of Lakewood, WA

Comparing Lakewood to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Washington (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Racial Diversity
Children Under 5 Years Old
Male Share of the Population
Senior Citizens
Age of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Well-Paid Single Women
Female Share of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty
Median Family Income

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Affordability of Rents
People Living Alone
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Housing Recently Built
Affordability of Property Taxes

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Violent Crime
Low Property Crime

Lakewood Almanac

Lakewood Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Lakewood Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Lakewood, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Lakewood Hospitals

SAINT CLARE HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Church)
11315 BRIDGEPORT WAY S W
(253) 588-1711
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Lakewood

Lakewood High Schools (2004)

LAKES HIGH SCHOOL
10320 FARWEST DR SW
253-589-7700
Serves 1,521 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 20.8

CLOVER PARK HIGH SCHOOL
11023 GRAVELLY LK DR SW
253-589-7602
Serves 1,478 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 19.4

TILLICUM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
8514 MAPLE ST SW
253-589-7890
A Title I school.
Serves 399 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 20

A-I HIGH SCHOOL
5214 STEILACOOM BLVD SW
253-589-7830
A Non-traditional School
Serves 172 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 14.3

SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES/RELIFE
14721 MURRAY ST
253-589-7480
A Special Education School
Serves 18 students.

ALFARETTA HOUSE
6423 ALFARETTA ST
253-589-7455
A Special Education School
Serves 13 students.

RE-ENTRY HIGH SCHOOL
5214 STEILACOOM BLVD SW
253-589-7830
A Non-traditional School
Serves 8 students.

TRANSITION LEARNING CENTER
5214 STEILACOOM BLVD SW
253-589-7830
A Non-traditional School

Lakewood Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

Clover Park Technical College

Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom

(List of All Washington Colleges)

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