University Place, Washington
Encyclopedia
University Place is a city in Pierce County, Washington
, United States. Its population was 31,144 at the 2010 census.
Based on per capita income
, University Place ranks 81st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.
, 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 private Methodist college, 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 the Charles Wright Academy.
Chambers Bay
golf course recently opened to favorable reviews. A Scottish links
-style course, Chambers Bay hosted the 2010 U.S. Amateur and will host 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 8.5 square miles (21.9 km²), of which 8.4 square miles (21.7 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) (0.83%) is water.
, 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.
Pierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
, United States. Its population was 31,144 at the 2010 census.
Based on per capita income
Washington locations by per capita income
Washington is the twelfth richest state in the United States of America, with a per capita income of $22,973 and a personal per capita income of $33,332 .-Washington counties ranked by per capita income:...
, University Place ranks 81st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.
History
University Place received its name in the 1800s when the University of Puget SoundUniversity of Puget Sound
The University of Puget Sound is a private liberal arts college located in the North End of Tacoma, Washington, in the United States...
, 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 private Methodist college, 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
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
. The town is home to Curtis Senior High School
Curtis Senior High School
For the school of the same name in Staten Island, see Curtis High School.Curtis Senior High School is a public high school located in University Place, Washington....
and the Charles Wright Academy.
Chambers Bay
Chambers Bay
Chambers Bay is a Scottish links-style golf course in University Place, Washington on Puget Sound. The public course is owned by Pierce County and opened for play on June 23, 2007....
golf course recently opened to favorable reviews. A Scottish links
Links (golf)
A links is the oldest style of golf course, first developed in Scotland. The word "links" comes from the Scots language and refers to an area of coastal sand dunes and sometimes to open parkland. It also retains this more general meaning in the Scottish English dialect...
-style course, Chambers Bay hosted the 2010 U.S. Amateur and will host the 2015 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
.
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.
Geography
University Place is located at 47°13′10"N 122°32′30"W (47.219545, -122.541610).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 8.5 square miles (21.9 km²), of which 8.4 square miles (21.7 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) (0.83%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 29,933 people, 12,149 households, and 8,212 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,569.0 people per square mile (1,377.5/km²). There were 12,684 housing units at an average density of 1,512.4 per square mile (583.7/km²). 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 racesRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Schools
The University Place School District manages seven public schools. Primary schools teach kindergarten through fourth grade. Intermediate schools teach grades 5, 6, and 7. Junior high is grades 8 and 9. High school students are in grades 10, 11, and 12.- Curtis Senior HighCurtis Senior High SchoolFor the school of the same name in Staten Island, see Curtis High School.Curtis Senior High School is a public high school located in University Place, Washington....
- Curtis Junior High
- Drum Intermediate
- Narrows View Intermediate
- Chambers Primary
- Evergreen Primary
- Sunset Primary
- University Place Primary
Notable natives and residents
- Gary LarsonGary LarsonGary Larson is the creator of The Far Side, a single-panel cartoon series that was syndicated internationally to newspapers for 15 years. The series ended with Larson's retirement on January 1, 1995. His 23 books of collected cartoons have combined sales of more than 45 million...
, creator of The Far SideThe Far SideThe Far Side is a popular single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from January 1, 1980, to January 1, 1995. Its surrealistic humor is often based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, an anthropomorphic view of the world,...
comic strips - Pat TillmanPat TillmanCorporal Patrick Daniel "Pat" Tillman Jr. was an American football player who left his professional career and enlisted in the United States Army in June 2002 in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. He joined the Army Rangers and served several tours in combat before he died in the...
, star linebackerLinebackerA linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
for Arizona State UniversityArizona State UniversityArizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
and the Arizona CardinalsArizona CardinalsThe Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 2004 Afghanistan WarWar in Afghanistan (2001–present)The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
casualty - John J. NanceJohn J. NanceJohn J. Nance is an American pilot, aviation safety expert, and author. His novels are largely about aviation, while his non-fiction covers various other areas.-Biography:Nance was born in Dallas, Texas...
, famous pilot and author