University Place

• Official Name — University Place, Washington • Settlement Type — City • Image Skyline — Chambers Bay Golf Course Setup Staging (18000263879).jpg • Image Caption — Chambers Bay Golf Course • Image Map — Pierce_County_Washington_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_University_Place_Highlighted.svg • Mapsize — 250px • Map Caption — Location of University Place, Washington • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — United States • Subdivision Type1 — State • Subdivision Name1 — Washington • Subdivision Type2 — County • Subdivision Name2 — Pierce • Government Type — Council–manager • Leader Title — Mayor • Leader Name — Javier Figueroa • Established Title — Incorporated • Established Date — August 31, 1995 • Unit Pref — Imperial • Area Total Km2 — 22.03 • Area Land Km2 — 21.60 • Area Water Km2 — 0.44 • Area Total Sq Mi — 8.51 • Area Land Sq Mi — 8.34 • Area Water Sq Mi — 0.17 • Population As Of — 2020 • Population Est — 35160 • Pop Est As Of — 2024 • Population Total — 34866 • Population Density Km2 — 1603 • Population Density Sq Mi — 4150 • Timezone — Pacific (PST) • Utc Offset — –8 • Timezone Dst — PDT • Utc Offset Dst — –7 • Elevation Ft — 417 • Postal Code Type — ZIP Codes • Postal Code — 98464, 98466, 98467 • Area Code — 253 • Area Code Type — Area code • Blank Name — FIPS code • Blank Info — 53-73465 • Blank1 Name — GNIS feature ID • Blank1 Info — 2412136 University Place is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. Its population was 34,866 at the 2020 census. University Place received its name in the 1800s when the University of Puget Sound, a private liberal-arts college in North Tacoma, purchased land along the primary north–south route of Grandview Drive. Based on per capita income, University Place ranks 81st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.

University Place received its name in the 1800s when the University of Puget Sound, a private liberal-arts college in North Tacoma, purchased land along the primary north–south route of Grandview Drive. The school sought to build a new campus there, but ended up selling the land back to the city for about $11,000. University Place remained an unincorporated part of Pierce County until the City of University Place was formed on August 31, 1995. Today, University Place is largely suburban in character and functions as a mixed business and residential area with waterfront on the Puget Sound. The town is home to Curtis Senior High School and Charles Wright Academy. Chambers Bay golf course opened in 2007 to favorable reviews. A Scottish links-style course, Chambers Bay hosted the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open. University Place's news is primarily covered by The News Tribune (Tacoma), and is also covered by University Place Patch, a hyper-local news website that launched in October 2010, and sometimes by news media in Seattle. Earlier newspapers for the community were the weekly Suburban Times (1970s), published by Dave Sclair (who, starting in 1970, also published Western Flyer); and, in the 1980s, the Lakewood Press, published by Grace T. Eubanks and later Dane S. Claussen, which launched the University Place Press as a monthly and then biweekly before it folded in early 1989.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.51 sqmi, of which, 8.34 sqmi is land and 0.17 sqmi is water.

As of the 2020 census, University Place had a population of 34,866, 13,944 households, and 9,208 families residing in the city. The median age was 39.5 years; 22.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older, and for every 100 females there were 89.6 males while for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 85.5 males age 18 and over. There were 13,944 households in University Place, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.0% were married-couple households, 15.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 14,427 housing units, of which 3.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 2.9%. 100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas. Racial composition as of the 2020 census • Race — Number — Percent • White — 21,583 — 61.9% • Black or African American — 3,169 — 9.1% • American Indian and Alaska Native — 252 — 0.7% • Asian — 3,796 — 10.9% • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander — 418 — 1.2% • Some other race — 1,087 — 3.1% • Two or more races — 4,561 — 13.1% • Hispanic or Latino (of any race) — 3,312 — 9.5%

As of the 2010 census, there were 31,144 people, 12,819 households, and 8,476 families living in the city. The population density was 3698.8 PD/sqmi. There were 13,573 housing units at an average density of 1612.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 71.0% White, 8.5% African American, 0.8% Native American, 9.0% Asian, 0.8% Pacific Islander, 1.7% from other races, and 8.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.7% of the population. There were 12,819 households, of which 32.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.9% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.9% were non-families. 27.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age in the city was 39.4 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 28.9% were from 45 to 64; and 14.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.0% male and 53.0% female.

As of the 2000 census, there were 29,933 people, 12,149 households, and 8,212 families living in the city. The population density was 3,569.0 people per square mile (1,377.5/km 2). There were 12,684 housing units at an average density of 1,512.4 per square mile (583.7/km 2). The racial makeup of the city was 75.87% White, 8.74% African American, 0.72% Native American, 7.47% Asian, 0.56% Pacific Islander, 1.35% from other races, and 5.29% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population. There were 12,149 households, out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.97. In the city, the age distribution of the population shows 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 25.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $50,287, and the median income for a family was $60,401. Males had a median income of $42,452 versus $30,045 for females. The per capita income for the city was $25,544. About 6.0% of families and 7.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.5% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.

Most of University Place is in the University Place School District, which manages eight public schools. Primary schools teach kindergarten through fourth grade. Intermediate schools teach grades five through seven. Junior high is grades eight and nine. High school students are in grades ten through twelve. • Curtis Senior High • Curtis Junior High • Drum Intermediate • Narrows View Intermediate • Chambers Primary • Evergreen Primary • Sunset Primary • University Place Primary Portions are in Tacoma Public Schools and in the Steilacoom Historical School District.

• Gary Larson, creator of The Far Side comic strips • John J. Nance, pilot and author • Dorothy Olsen - American aircraft pilot and member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) during World War II. • Bob Robertson, sportscaster, voice of the Washington State Cougars and Tacoma Rainiers • Brian Sullivan, politician and lawyer • Isaiah Thomas, star point guard for University of Washington and NBA point guard • Pat Tillman - American professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) who left his sports career and enlisted in the United States Army in May 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. • Morgan Weaver - professional soccer forward for the Portland Thorns FC