Pierce County is a county in Washington. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 795,225, making it the second-most populous county in Washington behind King County. The county seat and largest city is Tacoma. It was Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory, it was named for U.S. President Franklin Pierce.
Geography[]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,806 square miles (4,680 km2), of which 1,670 square miles (4,300 km2) is land and 137 square miles (350 km2) (7.6%) is water.[5] The highest natural point in Washington, Mount Rainier at 14,410 feet (4,392 m), is located in Pierce County.
Government[]
Pierce County has adopted and is governed by a Charter. This is allowed by section 4 of Article XI of the Washington constitution. The Pierce County Executive heads the county's executive branch. The Assessor-Treasurer, Auditor, Prosecuting, and Sheriff are also countywide elected executive positions.
The Pierce County Council is the elected legislative body for Pierce County and consists of seven members elected by district. The council is vested with all law-making power granted by its charter and by the State of Washington, sets county policy through the adoption of ordinances and resolutions, approves the annual budget and directs the use of county funds. The seven members of the County Council are elected from each of seven contiguous and equally populated districts. Each county councilmember is elected to serve a four-year term.
Beneath the Washington Supreme Court and the Washington Court of Appeals, judicial power rests first in the Pierce County Superior Court, which is divided into 22 departments - each headed by an elected judge, as well as a clerk of the superior court and eight superior court commissioners. Below that is the Pierce County District Court - with eight elected judges, the Tacoma Municipal Court - with three elected judges, and the Pierce County Juvenile Court. Tacoma houses the Pierce County Courthouse.
The people of Pierce County voted on November 5, 1918 to create a Port District. The Port of Tacoma is Pierce County's only Port District. It is governed Port of Tacoma Commission - five Port Commissioners, who are elected at-large countywide and serve four-year terms. The Port of Tacoma owns six container terminals, one grain terminal and an auto import terminal; all of which are leased out to foreign and domestic corporations to operate. In addition, the port owns and operates two breakbulk cargo terminals.
Many charter amendments have been on the ballot in the last five years, but sequential numbering does not carry over from year-to-year.
Politics[]
Pierce County, like the majority of Western Washington counties, is considered a reliably Democratic county. However, due to the large military presence which is heavily Republican, the margin of victory for the Democrats is relatively lower than the neighboring counties, particularly King County.
Economy[]
Tacoma is the center of Pierce County's economy and is home to the Port of Tacoma. Many manufacturing and industrial jobs reside there.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord contributes more than 42,000 military and civilian jobs to the local economy.
Pierce County agriculture has been an instrumental part of the local economy for almost 150 years. However, in the last half century much of the county's farmland has been transformed into residential areas. Pierce County has taken aggressive steps to reverse this trend; the county recently created the Pierce County Farm Advisory Commission. This advisory board helps local farmers with the interpretation of land use regulations as well as the promotion of local produce. The creation of the Pierce County Farm Advisory Commission will hopefully save the remaining 48,000 acres of Pierce County farmland. Despite the loss of farmland, Pierce County continues to produce about 50% of the United States' rhubarb
Transportation[]
Port[]
The Port of Tacoma is the sixth busiest container port in North America, and one of the 25 busiest in the world, and it plays an important part in the local economy. This deep-water port covers 2,400 acres (9.7 km²) and offers a combination of facilities and services including 34 deepwater berths, two million square feet (190,000 m²) of warehouse and office space, and 131 acres (530,000 m²) of industrial yard. One economic impact study showed that more the 28,000 jobs in Pierce County are related to the Port activities.
Public Transit[]
Pierce County's official transportation provider is Pierce Transit. It provides buses, paratransit, and rideshare vehicles. The regional Sound Transit runs a light rail line through downtown Tacoma, and provides several regional express buses. Sound Transit also runs the Sounder, a regional commuter railroad through Pierce County, with stops in: Sumner, Puyallup, Tacoma, South Tacoma, and Lakewood. Amtrak also travels through the county with a stop in Tacoma. Also, Intercity Transit provides transportation between Tacoma, Lakewood, and Thurston County.
On December 18, 2017, an Amtrak train derailed in the county, at an overpass over southbound Interstate 5, hitting several vehicles. Thirteen of 14 rail cars derailed, killing three on board the train, and injuring dozens more on board and on the highway.
Communities[]
Cities[]
- Auburn (partial)
- Bonney Lake
- Buckley
- DuPont
- Edgewood
- Fife
- Fircrest
- Gig Harbor
- Lakewood
- Milton (partial)
- Orting
- Pacific (partial)
- Puyallup
- Roy
Towns[]
- Carbonado
- Eatonville
- South Prairie
- Steilacoom
- Wilkeson
Census Designated Places[]
- Alder
- Alderton
- Anderson Island
- Artondale
- Ashford
- Browns Point
- Canterwood
- Clear Lake
- Clover Creek
- Crocker
- Dash Point
- Elbe
- Elk Plain
- Fife Heights
- Fort Lewis
- Fox Island
- Frederickson
- Graham
- Greenwater
- Herron Island
- Home
- Kapowsin
- Ketron Island
- Key Center
- La Grande
- Lake Tapps
- Longbranch
- Maplewood
- McChord AFB
- McKenna
- McMillin
- Midland
- North Fort Lewis
- North Puyallup
- Parkland
- Prairie Heights
- Prairie Ridge
- Purdy
- Raft Island
- Rosedale
- South Creek
- South Hill
- Spanaway
- Stansberry Lake
- Summit
- Summit View
- Vaughn
- Waller
- Wauna
- Wollochet
Unincorporated Communities[]
- American Lake
- Burnett
- Crescent Valley
- Cromwell
- Electron
- Elgin
- Firwood
- Glencove
- Lakebay
- McNeil Island
- National
- Ohop
- Paradise
- Point Fosdick
- Shore Acres
- Shorewood Beach
- Sunny Bay
- Sunrise Beach
- Sylvan
- Tehaleh
- Victor
- Villa Beach