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Olympia is the capital of the state of Washington and is situated at the southern portion of Puget Sound on Budd Inlet. The city is recognized as the center for fine arts for the region and is well known for its music scene. The downtown area has been designated as a National Historic District. The city is situated in a beautiful setting with the Olympic Mountains positioned to the northwest, the enormous MT. Rainier located to the southeast and Capitol Lake in the vicinity. Olympia is located in Thurston County and was incorporated in 1859.
The area was home to the Squaxin, Chelhalis, Duwamish, Nisqually, Suquamish and the Puyallup tribes. In 1792 Peter Puget charted the region. During the 1840's Edmund Sylvester and Levi Smith claimed the area that is now the downtown. Soon, the city which was known as Smithfield was the location of thriving lumber and mill industries.
In 1853 the citizens of the town decided to rename it Olympia after the nearby Olympic Mountains. The city is well known as the home of the Olympic Brewing Company which made Olympia beer from 1896 until 2003. An earthquake which occurred in 1949 severely damaged a large number of historic structures which unfortunately had to be demolished.
Amtrak provides the area with rail transportation. Intercity Transit offers bus services. Air transportation is provided at the Olympia Airport.
Olympia is home to numerous theater companies and is the location of the Olympia Film Society's annual film festival. The "Procession of the Species" parade consists of community members wearing costumes which portray a wide variety of species. The parade is popular with residents and tourists. The Capital Building is recognized as one of the biggest free standing masonry domes in the entire world. There are numerous noteworthy attractions in the city including:
Puget Sound provides residents and tourists with recreational opportunities such as hiking, boating, kayaking and superb sightseeing. The Black River is utilized for canoeing by residents and visitors.
Olympia is home to Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College. St. Martin's University is located in nearby Lacey.
Olympia strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Washington):
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Walking and Biking to Work (vs. Peers) | Top 5% |  |
| College Educated Adults (vs. State) | Top 11% | |
| Public Transportation Use (vs. State) | Top 11% | |
| Well-Paid Single Women (vs. State) | Top 12% | |
| Well-Paid Single Men (vs. State) | Top 16% | |
Comparing Olympia to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Washington (State):
Ratings range from 
(lowest) to 
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Well-Paid Single Women |  |  |
| Female Share of the Population | | |
| Well-Paid Single Men |  | |
| Senior Citizens |  | |
| Age of the Population | | |
| Racial Diversity |  | |
| Male Share of the Population |  | |
| Children Under 5 Years Old |  | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Portion of People Married | | |
| Average Household Size | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| College Educated Adults | | |
| Median Family Income | | |
| People in Middle Class or Better |  | |
| People Above Poverty | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Walking and Biking to Work | | |
| Public Transportation Use | | |
| Working at Home | | |
| Short Commute Times | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| People Living Alone | | |
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | | |
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing | | |
| Housing Recently Built | | |
| Affordability of Rents | | |
| Affordability of Property Taxes | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Low Violent Crime | | |
| Low Property Crime | | |
Detailed pages on related topics: Olympia colleges • Olympia travel • Olympia mortgages and property.
 | Olympia Careers Olympia career and employment information. |
 | Olympia Colleges Olympia colleges and trade schools. |
 | Olympia Hotels & Travel Olympia hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
 | Olympia Mortgage Olympia property, mortgage, and real estate. |
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