One might expect a serious attitude in Olympia, the legislative center and state capital of Washington. But this creative, outdoorsy city defies expectations. “People express themselves here, and art is really encouraged,” says Realtor Matt Murray with Van Dorm Realty, a local and a small business owner for over 20 years. “Maybe it’s because we feel intertwined with nature. Everything around you is moss, mushrooms, creeks, giant trees. People can go for a walk and disappear for an afternoon. I think that sparks our creativity.” Downtown Olympia is the most obvious example of this dichotomy, a colorful, mural-filled district on Capitol Lake and South Puget Sound. The cardinal neighborhoods around it — Eastside, Westside, North West, North East and others — carry that energy throughout the city, despite being more suburban. Of Olympia’s 55,000 residents, some have been here for years, while others may have arrived within the month. “Olympia, even though it’s quirky, is a welcoming city. You can be new but nobody realizes because most people are transplants,” says Debbi Boyd with Real Estate of the South Sound, a broker here since 2001. “Joint Base Lewis-McChord, what we call JBLM, is just outside of town, so you have a lot of Army and Air Force people coming and going. People also buy here and commute to the larger cities like Seattle and Portland.”
On occasion, the surrounding areas of Cain Road will have car shows and meets for residents.
Capitol Lake is a local favorite spot for an evening stroll near Burbank-Elliott.
Explore the arts and culture of Downtown Olympia near West Bay Drive.
Find plenty of scenic running paths in the area around West Bay Drive.
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Historic fixer-uppers near Downtown Olympia, waterfront estates on Budd Inlet
Many people choose Olympia for its budget-friendly housing prices. With a median of $550,000, it’s about the same as Portland but roughly $300,000 cheaper than Seattle. Closer to Eastside , fixer-uppers from the 1920s start at $250,000. Estates in East Bay Drive and West Bay Drive with views of Budd Inlet can reach $1.7 million. New developments from the 2000s and beyond are throughout the city, but they cluster toward Goldcrest and Cain Road .
A spacious modern home sits hills side with harbor views in South Westside.
Traditional single and two-story homes line the streets of South Westside.
A row of colorful homes in a North East Olympia street.
Experience coastal living in East Bay Drive’s inviting and picturesque homes.
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The heart of the Pacific Northwest: close to lakes, mountains and forests
The wetlands of South Puget Sound cover Olympia and the region overall. Central in the city, Capitol Lake is a 260-acre body with a walking trail and waterfront parks. The pristine lawns of the Washington State Capitol Campus are along the eastern bank, and Budd Inlet is another waterway to the north. This inlet packs with sailboats close to town but eventually widens, connecting to Puget Sound’s other finger lakes. The Olympic Mountains, about 50 miles north of town, are visible from these waterways and some high points in Capitol State Forest. With roughly 110,000 acres west of the city, this forest has everything from mountain biking to camping to salmon fishing. Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is east of town for more hiking and, on clear days, views of Mount Rainer National Park.
Enjoy the beauty of the Pacific Northwest in West Bay Drive.
Wander through the woods near South Capitol and enjoy the natural beauty at Watershed.
Take or short drive or bike ride from South Capitol and relax at the pocket parks by the bay.
South Capitol locals gaze into the beauty of Olympia from the Washington State Capitol Campus.
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Top marks for Olympia School District
Olympia School District covers most of the city and has roughly 10,000 students. It gets an A from Niche, and after legislation passed in 2018, every student now receives a Chromebook to facilitate learning. Among many highly rated schools here, Olympia High is an A-rated standout that makes Niche’s top 25 for public high schools in Washington. Evergreen State College is in between Budd and Eld inlets on the city’s northwest side. Its interdisciplinary approach allows students to pick their own interests without the pressure of a traditional major.
The student-teacher ratio at Lincoln Elementary School is 14:1.
Students in the area attend Reeves Middle School.
Olympia High School is ranked 31st within Washington.
Avanti High School is ranked 149th within Washington.
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From puppets to tugboats: events in Olympia
Olympia has many events throughout the year, but Olympia Arts Walk is one of the most popular. With hundreds of artists and about 30,000 attendees, this weekend celebration fills streets with music, paintings and demonstrations in October and April. The April iteration has the Procession of the Species, the largest Earth Day celebration in the region; this parade features elaborate animal costumes and puppets, and it’s been a tradition since 1995. In September, Olympia Harbor Days crowds Budd Inlet as tugboats race through the water and attendees tour historic boats. Capital Lakefair is a weeklong celebration in July, when a carnival, car show, parade and fireworks liven downtown.
Interstate 5: day trips to Olympic National Park, Pacific Coast
Interstate 5 is the most used freeway in Olympia, winding through downtown into northern and southern Washington. It can back up during rush hour, but traffic is free flowing for most of the day. It also links with U.S. Route 101 on the city’s west side, which goes up to Olympic National Park and National Forest, and other connected freeways go out to the Pacific Coast. Closer to home, Intercity Transit has nearly 20 bus routes throughout Olympia, and neighboring Lacey has the Amtrak Cascades line. This rail goes about 120 miles south to Portland and about 60 miles north to Seattle, but it also travels all the way to Eugene and Vancouver. Olympia Regional Airport doesn't have commercial service, but Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is about 50 miles north.
History and the arts come together in Downtown Olympia
Olympia’s past and present are central to Downtown Olympia , a National Historic District filled with murals, galleries, theaters and boutiques. Walking next to the district’s Romanesque architecture, it’s common to see poems and LGBTQ-friendly signage in shop windows. Local artists have painted traffic signal boxes, and, as Matt Murray says, color is everywhere. Breweries and coffee shops are some of the many restaurants around here, and seafood places often source locally from South Sound. The Washington State Capitol Building and Campus is just south of this district, and the Olympia Farmers Market is just north. A year-round source of fresh produce since 1975, it has over 100 vendors during high season, from April to October. Northwest and South Westside border the city's commercial district, home to Capital Mall, grocery chains and big-box stores.
A drum circle forming community peace, at the harbor next to Cain Road.
Try the creative sushi burritos or savory ramen at Zen in Carlyon-North.
Pick up fresh veggies at The Olympia Farmers Market near Northwest.
Just outside the Cain Road neighborhood, you can find annual night markets around town.
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Rainy season in the Pacific Northwest, crime rates
Like most of the PNW, Olympia is known for its rain and clouds. It gets roughly 50 inches of rainfall per year, about 20 inches more than the national average. It almost doubles the national average for cloudy days, too, with 230. The wettest, grayest months are November to January, but locals don’t seem to mind much. “You don’t see a lot of people with umbrellas,” Murray says. “It rains so much here that we don’t care much about getting wet. We embrace that because it’s the reason we have these big, beautiful trees.” Still, June to October are drier and sunnier with typical temperatures in the 70s. Air quality can decrease during this time, as wildfire smoke can blow in from the Cascades.
In 2023, Olympia had a monthly average of 139 violent offenses per 100,000 people. That’s slightly higher than state and national rates. The monthly average for property offenses was 379 per 100,000 people, and that’s much higher than state and national levels.
On average, homes in Olympia, WA sell after 39 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Olympia, WA over the last 12 months is $563,750, up 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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