Map the Block › Places › Washington › Thurston County
What are the crime rate and median income in Thurston County, Washington?
FBI reports put Thurston County at 2.5 violent crimes per 1,000 people a year over 2021-2025, 27% lower than the rate for Washington (3.4). Households here have a median income of $96,563 and the unemployment rate was 4.3% in August 2026. About 299,067 people live in the county.
Last updated . Crime: FBI 2021-2025. Income and housing: Census ACS 2020-2024. Unemployment: BLS August 2026. Road work: October 11, 2026.
Also on the map: income · hazard risk · Superfund · dams
What is the crime rate in Thurston County?
Police agencies in Thurston County reported an average of 740 violent crimes and 5,660 property crimes a year from 2021 to 2025. The violent rate, 2.5 per 1,000 people, is 27% lower than the Washington rate (3.4); nationally it is 3.7. For property crime the county rate is 18.8 per 1,000 (Washington: 27.5; U.S.: 18.1). Most violent crimes here are aggravated assaults (68%). CDC death records show about 8 homicide deaths a year in the county (2.6 per 100,000), a count that includes cases police may classify differently.
| Offense (yearly average, 2021-2025) | Thurston County | Per 1,000 | Washington per 1,000 | U.S. per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crime | 740 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
| Murder | 7 | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.06 |
| Rape | 100 | 0.33 | 0.40 | 0.40 |
| Robbery | 133 | 0.44 | 0.72 | 0.62 |
| Aggravated assault | 500 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.6 |
| Property crime | 5,660 | 18.8 | 27.5 | 18.1 |
| Burglary | 976 | 3.2 | 4.6 | 2.4 |
| Larceny-theft | 3,968 | 13.2 | 18.0 | 13.0 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 716 | 2.4 | 4.9 | 2.6 |
Most crime never reaches the police, so these are reported crimes, a floor rather than the full count. In 2024 about half of violent crimes (48%) and about 3 in 10 property crimes (31%) were reported to police (U.S. Justice Department, National Crime Victimization Survey). Rates also depend on how completely each agency reports to the FBI. County figures add up the city police and sheriff reports in the county (6 agencies; 100% of residents covered).
What is the median household income in Thurston County?
The median household in Thurston County earns $96,563 a year, close to the Washington median ($98,141). Owner-occupied homes have a median value of $480,300, and the median rent is $1,736 a month. 11.2% of households received SNAP benefits in the past year (state: 11.5%). The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 6,269 people out of work and looking.
| Census ACS 2020-2024 | Thurston County | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 299,067 | 7,816,116 | 334,922,499 |
| Median household income | $96,563 | $98,141 | $80,734 |
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $480,300 | $564,600 | $332,700 |
| Median gross rent | $1,736 | $1,760 | $1,413 |
| Unemployment rate (2020-2024 average) | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| People below the poverty line | 9.5% | 9.9% | 12.5% |
| Households receiving SNAP (food stamps) | 11.2% | 11.5% | 12.1% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher | 38.5% | 39.6% | 35.7% |
| Homeowner households | 67.7% | 63.8% | 65.2% |
| Median age | 40.0 | 38.3 | 38.9 |
| Households with broadband internet | 94.5% | 93.6% | 91.0% |
| People without health insurance | 5.0% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
What natural hazards and environmental sites are in Thurston County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Thurston County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively High”. The hazards rated highest here are earthquakes (Relatively High). The index compares counties with each other and also weighs how vulnerable and resilient a community is, so it is a long-run estimate, not a forecast.
Superfund sites
1 Superfund site is on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Thurston County: Palermo Well Field Ground Water Contamination. A listing means EPA is managing a long-term cleanup; it does not by itself mean anyone is exposed today.
High-hazard dams
The National Inventory of Dams lists 8 high-hazard dams in Thurston County. 2 are rated Poor or Unsatisfactory in condition, 6 Satisfactory or Fair. The two tallest are Alder (330 ft) and La Grande (217 ft). “High hazard” describes what lies downstream (people would probably die if the dam failed), not how likely the dam is to fail.
Industrial chemical releases
5 facilities in the county filed Toxics Release Inventory reports for 2024, together reporting 126,363 pounds of listed chemicals released on site. Reported releases are legal permitted amounts in most cases.
Disasters, air and water
Thurston County was covered by 2 federal major disaster declarations from 2016 through 2025 (Flood 2), not counting COVID-19. In 2024, 0 of 362 monitored days had an air quality index of “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or worse (EPA). Of 196 community water systems, 1 had an open health-based drinking-water violation in EPA's records (September 2026). EPA puts the county in radon zone 3 (low). NHTSA counted 26 traffic deaths in the county in 2024, including 5 pedestrians.
Is there road construction in Thurston County?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 10 highway work zones in Thurston County (0 active that day). Where crews are working: 005. 10 are on interstates. The map's construction layer is refreshed every morning.
See today's work zones on the map →
How many schools, nursing homes and parks are in Thurston County?
Thurston County has 84 public schools (2024-25) and 16 private schools (2023-24) in federal school lists. 7 nursing homes are certified by Medicare or Medicaid here; star ratings for each are on the map and on Medicare's Care Compare. USGS mapping shows 41 fire or EMS stations and 7 police or sheriff stations. 2 state parks or recreation areas: Millersylvania Memorial and Tolmie.
What tribal lands and sacred sites are in Thurston County?
Census tribal areas that reach into Thurston County: Chehalis Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Land and Nisqually Reservation.
Tribal areas are Census statistical boundaries, shown for reference; they are not legal boundaries.
See them on the map: tribal lands →
Gun shops, liquor stores and Planned Parenthood in Thurston County
Gun shops
13 gun shops with a public storefront are on the map in Thurston County, plus 18 more licensed dealers without a public storefront (not shown). 2 of them are pawnshops licensed to sell guns. On the ATF list: Big 5 Sporting Goods #151 (Olympia), Big 5 Sporting Goods Store #298 (Lacey), Cabela's 426 (Lacey), Cash America Pawn (Olympia), Cash Northwest INC (Lacey), Coastal Farm & Ranch / Coastal (Lacey), Glacier Gun Club Indoor Shooting Range (Olympia), Johnny's (Rochester) and 5 more.
Liquor stores
5 liquor stores are on the map in Thurston County: Grand Mound Liquor & Beverage (Rochester), Hedden's Liquor & Wine (Tenino), Lacey Liquor & Beverage (Lacey), Total Wine & More (Olympia) and Yelm Liquor & Beverage (Yelm).
Planned Parenthood
One Planned Parenthood health center is on the map in Thurston County: Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest and the Hawaiian Islands-Olympia Health Center (Olympia).
See them on the map: gun shops · liquor stores · Planned Parenthood →
Sources: ATF licensee list (Sept 2026); state liquor licence lists, OpenStreetMap and Overture Maps (non-official); HHS Title X directory and CMS NPPES.
Common questions
What is the crime rate in Thurston County?
Thurston County averaged 740 reported violent crimes a year in 2021-2025, or 2.5 per 1,000 residents, 27% lower than the Washington rate (3.4). The property-crime rate was 18.8 per 1,000 (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting).
What is the median household income in Thurston County?
$96,563 (Census American Community Survey, 2020-2024 average), compared with $98,141 for Washington and $80,734 nationally.
What is the unemployment rate in Thurston County?
The newest monthly figure from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is 4.3% for August 2026 (preliminary), with 6,269 people out of work and looking.
What natural hazards affect Thurston County?
On FEMA's National Risk Index, Thurston County has an overall natural-hazard risk rating of “Relatively High”. The hazards rated highest here are earthquakes (Relatively High).
Are there Superfund sites in Thurston County?
1 Superfund site is on or proposed for EPA's National Priorities List in Thurston County: Palermo Well Field Ground Water Contamination.
Is there road construction in Thurston County right now?
On October 11, 2026 the state transportation feed listed 10 highway work zones in Thurston County (0 active that day). Where crews are working: 005. 10 are on interstates.
How many nursing homes are in Thurston County?
7 Medicare- or Medicaid-certified nursing homes (CMS provider data, September 2026).
How does Thurston County compare with neighboring counties?
| County | Population | Violent crimes per 1,000 (2021-25) | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grays Harbor County | 77,053 | 2.0 | $64,414 |
| Lewis County | 85,154 | 2.2 | $74,796 |
| Mason County | 67,982 | 2.4 | $83,270 |
| Pierce County | 930,319 | 5.8 | $99,564 |
Cities in Thurston County with their own page: Lacey, Olympia.
More: Washington statewide numbers · Sex-offender registry search (U.S. Justice Department, NSOPW)
Where do these numbers come from?
- Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2021-2025 (agency level, Return A), averaged and summed by county by Map the Block; Census population; state and national rates: FBI estimated crimes 2021-2025.
- Income, housing, education: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year, table B19013 (median household income) and related tables.
- Monthly unemployment: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), county data, not seasonally adjusted. Public domain.
- Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025), county scores; disasters: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
- Superfund: U.S. EPA, Superfund site boundaries and NPL status (October 2026). Dams: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Inventory of Dams (public map service, October 2026). Chemical releases: U.S. EPA Toxics Release Inventory, reporting year 2024 (basic data file).
- Air and water: U.S. EPA AirData, annual AQI by county 2024; EPA Air Quality Design Values 2023-2025 (June 2026); U.S. EPA SDWIS via ECHO drinking-water download (September 30, 2026). Traffic deaths: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) 2024; Census population.
- Work zones: State departments of transportation, via the U.S. DOT Work Zone Data Exchange (WZDx) and state 511 feeds; refreshed every morning (snapshot October 11, 2026).
- Schools: National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE public school locations 2024-25; budgets: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, EDGE Private School geocodes (Private School Survey 2023-24). Nursing homes: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Nursing Home Provider Information and Penalties (September 2026). Stations: U.S. Geological Survey, National Structures Dataset (Fire Stations/EMS Stations), October 2026 pull.
- Parks: USGS Protected Areas Database of the U.S. (PAD-US 4.1); state park agencies' open data (CA, NY, PA, TN, TX, FL, NJ, KY, HI, UT, MT and others); OpenStreetMap contributors for some hours, phones, fees and camping; U.S. National Park Service: unit boundaries (Land Resources Division), Acreage Report (Sept 30, 2026), park pages on nps.gov (hours, fees), Visitor Use Statistics (2025).
Map the Block shows public statistics about places, not people, and does not rate or rank neighborhoods as places to live. Figures are as published by each source; check the source before relying on a number.
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