Pierce County Resources
Find needed information for your visit or relocation to Pierce County.
About Pierce County:
[From Washington State Office of Financial Management, figures accurate as of 2015]
Size
- Pierce County area: 1,669.51 square miles
- Pierce County population: 830,120
- City of Tacoma population: 211,277
- Tacoma: second most populous metropolitan area in Washington State
- Tacoma: third most populous city [after Seattle + Spokane]
Weather
- Summer [70-80 degrees F]; Fall [45-65 degrees F]; Winter [40-50 degrees F]; Spring [45-65 degrees F]
- Average rainfall 39 inches [less than New York, Boston, Houston and Miami], 75 percent of which falls October through March; Driest month: July; Wettest month: December
Largest communities
- Tacoma [pop. 211,277]: revitalized downtown, six major museums, Chihuly Bridge of Glass, many restaurants
- Lakewood [pop. 60,665]: beautiful lakes, gardens and 340-acre Fort Steilacoom Park
- Puyallup [pop. 40,640]: Washington State Fair, Daffodil Festival, “Arts Downtown” Outdoor Gallery
Distance from Tacoma to:
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport: approximately 25 miles
- Seattle: approximately 35 miles
- Portland, OR: approximately 144 miles
- Vancouver, BC, Canada: approximately 174 miles
Local policies
- Bring Your Own Bag: Thin, plastic checkout bags are no longer distributed at Tacoma retail stores, and stores are required to collect a minimum of five cents for each recycled paper or reusable checkout bag requested by customers.
- Cannabis: Recreational marijuana use by adults - including adult visitors from out of state - is legal in Washington State, but there are restrictions on its use. Make sure and read up on the law.
Area links
- Pierce County, WA
- City of Tacoma
- Tacoma’s Neighborhood Business Districts
- Visit Mount Rainier
- Pierce Transit
- Sound Transit