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COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Thurston County

Washington · 161,238 residents · 723 sq mi
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The short version

Thurston County is home to 161,238 people in Washington. There are 46,117 fewer people here than in 2000. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Poverty is uncommon here, at 10.1% of people here. Median home value sits at $79,800. Median household income is $30,976, close to the national figure.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.7
US median: 33.0
More educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 24%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
161,238
−22%vs 2000
vs 207,355 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
33.7
−8%vs 2000
vs 36.5 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
723 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
147K189K230K272K313K19902000201020202024Thurston County
2024299K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.1%(11,379)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 98.1%(13,104)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.5%(12,018)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197%(11,239)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.5%(10,404)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.1%(25,885)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4417.7%(28,604)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5410.7%(17,272)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 647.8%(12,534)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 746.9%(11,101)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 843.6%(5,793)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.2%(1,905)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$30,976
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $46,975 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$13,901
−38%vs 2000
vs $22,415 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
10.1%
+1.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 8.8% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$79,800
−24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $138,800 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$460
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $655 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
64.7%
−1.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 66.6% in 2000
35.3% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic83.4%(172,963)
Black2.3%(4,714)
Hispanic / Latino4.5%(9,392)
Asian4.4%(9,034)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic92.1%(148,569)
Black1.7%(2,709)
Hispanic / Latino2.7%(4,277)
Asian3.7%(5,982)
Other2.5%(3,978)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican6.2%(18,591)
Puerto Rican1.4%(4,220)
Central American0.9%(2,655)
Spaniard0.5%(1,600)
South American0.5%(1,485)
Salvadoran0.4%(1,123)
Guatemalan0.2%(640)
Colombian0.2%(612)
Cuban0.2%(581)
Panamanian0.1%(419)
Honduran0.1%(355)
Peruvian0.1%(203)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Bolivian0.1%(193)
Chilean0.1%(190)
Dominican0.1%(171)
Venezuelan0.1%(152)
Argentine0%(34)
Uruguayan0%(12)
Asian origin
Filipino1.6%(4,714)
Vietnamese1.3%(3,962)
Korean0.9%(2,838)
Chinese0.5%(1,529)
Asian Indian0.4%(1,078)
Cambodian0.4%(1,052)
Japanese0.3%(840)
Thai0.1%(252)
Burmese0.1%(241)
Nepalese0.1%(202)
Pakistani0.1%(179)
Laotian0.1%(174)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Taiwanese0%(137)
Okinawan0%(11)
Kazakh0%(8)
Hmong0%(3)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.6%(1,816)
Chamorro0.6%(1,677)
Samoan0.4%(1,190)
Guamanian0.1%(236)
Fijian0%(32)
Tongan0%(4)
Ancestry
German16.3%(48,884)
English13%(38,947)
Irish11.7%(34,942)
American3.9%(11,720)
Norwegian3.6%(10,811)
Italian3.3%(9,846)
Scottish3%(8,949)
Swedish2.7%(8,188)
French2.4%(7,042)
Polish1.7%(5,209)
Dutch1.6%(4,742)
Scotch-Irish1.3%(3,862)
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data
Danish0.9%(2,836)
Welsh0.8%(2,542)
Finnish0.8%(2,473)
British0.8%(2,391)
French Canadian0.5%(1,498)
Russian0.5%(1,413)
West Indian0.4%(1,309)
Swiss0.3%(1,016)
Portuguese0.3%(1,006)
Arab0.3%(1,002)
Greek0.3%(869)
Czech0.3%(862)
Ukrainian0.3%(787)
Canadian0.2%(653)
Romanian0.2%(604)
Hungarian0.2%(546)
Austrian0.2%(520)
Haitian0.2%(514)
Australian0.2%(489)
Croatian0.1%(437)
Nigerian0.1%(363)
Slovak0.1%(316)
Belgian0.1%(265)
Jordanian0.1%(262)
Lithuanian0.1%(252)
Egyptian0.1%(236)
Turkish0.1%(229)
Brazilian0.1%(189)
Jamaican0.1%(189)
Iranian0.1%(167)
Lebanese0%(148)
Armenian0%(120)
Kenyan0%(93)
Latvian0%(91)
Slovene0%(77)
Moroccan0%(72)
Iraqi0%(61)
Ethiopian0%(47)
Guyanese0%(35)
Serbian0%(35)
Syrian0%(13)
Israeli0%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
24.7%
−5.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 29.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
86.5%
−3.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 89.5% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
8.6%
−2.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 11.1% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
20.7 min
+25%vs 2000
vs 16.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married32.9%(39,611)
Married55.3%(66,488)
Widowed2.4%(2,867)
Divorced9.4%(11,296)
Women 15+
Never married25.7%(32,679)
Married51.8%(65,852)
Widowed7.7%(9,793)
Divorced14.8%(18,801)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.0%
−6.7 ptssince 2013
from 11.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
59.7%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 58.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.5%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 19.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
19.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 18.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
5.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
75.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 75.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.7%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 36.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)40.3%(11,649)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)32.1%(9,301)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era27.9%(8,058)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.7%(784)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.4%(106)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 28,932 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Thurston County to nearby counties

THURSTON COUNTY VS
Lewis County
Income$74,796+141%
Home value$385,800+383%
Population88,062−71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
THURSTON COUNTY VS
Pierce County
Income$99,564+221%
Home value$526,600+560%
Population946,288+211%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
THURSTON COUNTY VS
Mason County
Income$83,270+169%
Home value$411,800+416%
Population71,165−77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
THURSTON COUNTY VS
Grays Harbor County
Income$64,414+108%
Home value$314,000+293%
Population78,144−74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Thurston County, Washington?

Thurston County, Washington has about 161,238 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Thurston County, Washington?

The typical household in Thurston County, Washington earns about $30,976 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Thurston County, Washington expensive?

In Thurston County, Washington, the median home is worth about $79,800, and the typical rent is about $460 a month.

How educated are people in Thurston County, Washington?

About 24.7% of adults age 25 and over in Thurston County, Washington hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Thurston County, Washington?

About 10.1% of people in Thurston County, Washington live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →