While other parts of the country have experienced recent economic downturns, the Olympia area has avoided a recession since 1982.  Thurston County remains a good place to have a career, build a business, raise a family, and retire.

The City of Olympia, the capital of Washington State is conveniently located on Puget Sound between Seattle, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The calm, pristine waters of Puget Sound and vast inlets and marina’s make the area a boater’s dream. Olympia is home to Evergreen State College and Saint Martin's University. The arts play a major role in Olympia, known as one of the greatest art towns in the country. Olympia restaurants, bars, casinos and coffee shops offer award winning food and drinks to satisfy any taste. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy the many parks, hiking trails and biking trails. Golf courses also offer a great outdoor experience with beautiful views of Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier, and the well preserved natural environment in Olympia, Washington.

The area pictured here is known as the Isthmus. It's in Olympia, Washington and it's widely regarded, if not commonly regarded, as a sacred space. It is the heart of Olympia. It is where the fresh water of the Deschutes River meets the deep waters of Budd Inlet and the Puget Sound - and eventually the Pacific Ocean and the World Ocean.

This area symbolizes the connection that exists between Olympia and the World. Olympia is a world city - it is known for looking past the conflicts that plague the federal government and then taking the initiative to make the world a better place to live - all on its own.

I envision a park in this space. A monument to citizen engagement. A monument to the societal and city relationship with the world - and with nature.

The park would serve the people in many ways. It would provide for recreation. It would provide an avenue for education about the environment, about ecology and sustainability. It would also attract people to downtown - as residents, as visitors, as investors.

Olympia's strategic geographic location along Interstate 5 at the gateway to the Olympic Penisula, puts one within two hours or less of regional recreational attractions - from hiking and skiing in the mountains to beachcombing along ocean shores.

Mild winters and pleasantly warm summers make the Olympia area an ideal place for outdoor recreation.  In Olympia, you can "get out of town" without even leaving the city.  Public trails lead to saltwater beaches where native americans once met for potlatches, through woods thick with big-leaf maples and towering Douglas firs.  Salmon return to Budd Inlet each fall and run the ladder under the 5th Avenue Bridge.

The Olympia, North Thurston, and Tumwater School Districts provide K-12 public education in the Olympia area.  Most City of Olympia resident families are in the Olympia School District.

More than 85% of high school students in the Olympia School District participate in school-sponsored co-curricular activities including athletics, music, drama, and academic/curricular/vocational clubs.

Housing Cost

Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $270,655

Demographics

Population in July 2007: 44,925. Olympia covers 16.7 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 130 feet above sea level. Area code: 360

Weather

Olympia, WA climate is mild during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 60's and very cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 30's.

The warmest month of the year is August with an average maximum temperature of 77.00 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 31.80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 27 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 14 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Olympia is 50.79 Inches. Winter months tend to be wetter than summer months. The wettest month of the year is November with an average rainfall of 8.13 Inches.

Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com