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Tukwila, Washington

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Tukwila (/tʌkˈwɪlə/ tuk-WIL-ə)[7] is a suburban city in King County, Washington, United States, located immediately to the south of Seattle. The population was 21,798 at the 2020 census.[5]

Tukwila, Washington
City
International Boulevard from 154th Street
International Boulevard from 154th Street
Official seal of Tukwila, Washington
Seal
Nickname: 
Hazelnut City
Location of Tukwila in King County
Location of Tukwila in King County
Coordinates: 47°28′26.36″N 122°15′39.44″W / 47.4739889°N 122.2609556°W / 47.4739889; -122.2609556
CountryUnited States
StateWashington
CountyKing
IncorporatedJune 23, 1908
Government
[2]
 • TypeMayor–council
 • MayorThomas McLeod[1]
 • CouncilmembersTosh Sharp
Armen Papyan
Hannah Hedrick
Dennis Martinez
Mohamed Abdi
Jovita McConnell
De’Sean Quinn
Area
[3]
 • Total9.60 sq mi (24.86 km2)
 • Land9.19 sq mi (23.79 km2)
 • Water0.41 sq mi (1.07 km2)
Elevation
[4]
144 ft (44 m)
Population
 (2020)[5]
 • Total21,798
 • Estimate 
(2023)[6]
21,135
 • Density2,301.20/sq mi (888.49/km2)
Time zoneUTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes
98108, 98138, 98168, 98178, 98188
Area code206
FIPS code53-72625
GNIS feature ID1509106[4]
Websitetukwilawa.gov
Duwamish River, Tukwila (2007)

A large commercial center draws workers and consumers to the city daily; industry thrives with the confluence of rivers, freeways, railroads, and Seattle–Tacoma International Airport.

History

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The earliest people in Tukwila were the Duwamish, who made their homes along the Black and Duwamish rivers. The name "Tukwila" is the Chinook Jargon word for "nut" or "hazelnut",[8] referring to the hazelnut trees that grew in the area. The Duwamish lived in cedar longhouses, hunted and fished, picked wild berries, and used the river for trade with neighboring peoples.

In 1853, the first white settler was Joseph Foster, a Canadian pioneer who had traveled to the Pacific Northwest from Wisconsin. Foster would become known as the "Father of Tukwila" and represented King County in the Washington Territorial Assembly for 22 years. Today, the site of Foster's home on the banks of the Duwamish River is part of Fort Dent Park, which also served as a military base during the 1850s Indian Wars. Foster's name is memorialized in the Foster neighborhood of Tukwila, where Foster High School is located.

In the early years, the small village grew into an agricultural center and remained a trading point in the upper Duwamish River Valley. Population began to grow and industry followed, largely farm-oriented commerce. Early electric trains traveled along Interurban Avenue in Tukwila, connecting to Renton and a line to Tacoma. The Interurban Railroad operated a commuter line from 1902 to 1928, making it possible to travel from Seattle to Tacoma in less than an hour.[9] A post office was established in 1904 at Riverton, uphill from the interurban line and directly West of Foster.[10] Centered around Marginal Way and South 130th Street, it is Tukwila's most historically intact neighborhood. The original Tukwila was also settled in 1904, further South along the interurban line where a station was established. The first macadam paved road in Washington state was in Tukwila and bears the name of this new method of street paving. One of the earliest paved military roads in the state passes through the city.

With the main goal of establishing better fire protection and water service, better access to schools and safer roads, Tukwila was incorporated as a fourth-class city on June 14, 1908 with a population of around 450.[11] The original city limits consisted of a single square mile centered around the local interurban depot; Riverton and Foster would be annexed later.[12] The city's first mayor was Joel Shomaker, a newspaperman who gave Tukwila its name soon after his arrival in 1904.[13] Among the city's first council members was Del Adelphia, a famous magician.[14]

Geography

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Tukwila is located in western King County south of Seattle and between the cities of SeaTac to the west and Renton to the east. It lies along the Green River and Interstate 5, which bisect the city from south to north.[15]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.60 square miles (24.86 km2), of which 9.19 square miles (23.80 km2) is land and 0.41 square miles (1.06 km2) is water.[3]

The city's tallest building is the Airmark Apartments and Hotel Interurban, a 19-story residential and hotel building near Southcenter that opened in July 2018. It is the tallest habitable building between Seattle and Tacoma.[16]

Neighborhoods

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Tukwila is divided into several neighborhoods by the city government for planning purposes. The 2015 Comprehensive Land Use Plan identifies them as:[17]

  • Allentown
  • Cascade View
  • Duwamish
  • Foster
  • Foster Point
  • McMicken
  • Riverton
  • Ryan Hill
  • Southcenter (Urban Center)
  • Thorndyke
  • Tukwila Hill

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1910361—
192045325.5%
1930424−6.4%
194052122.9%
195080053.6%
19601,804125.5%
19703,50994.5%
19803,5782.0%
199011,874231.9%
200017,18144.7%
201019,10711.2%
202021,79814.1%
2023 (est.)21,135[6]−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[18]
2020 Census[5]

As of the 2022 American Community Survey, there are 8,098 estimated households in Tukwila with an average of 2.64 persons per household. The city has a median household income of $76,331. Approximately 13.3% of the city's population lives at or below the poverty line. Tukwila has an estimated 72.4% employment rate, with 25.8% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 82.1% holding a high school diploma.[19]

The top nine reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were Subsaharan African (8.3%), German (6.0%), English (4.3%), Irish (3.4%), Norwegian (2.2%), Scottish (1.7%), French (except Basque) (1.4%), Italian (1.2%), and Polish (0.5%).

The median age in the city was 36.0 years.

2020 census

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Tukwila, Washington – racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic) Pop. 2000[20] Pop. 2010[21] Pop. 2020[22] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 9,297 7,186 6,102 54.11% 37.61% 27.99%
Black or African American alone (NH) 2,174 3,350 4,059 12.65% 17.53% 18.62%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 190 143 124 1.11% 0.75% 0.57%
Asian alone (NH) 1,858 3,615 5,689 10.81% 18.92% 26.10%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 311 521 516 1.81% 2.73% 2.37%
Other race alone (NH) 57 49 92 0.33% 0.26% 0.42%
Mixed race or multiracial (NH) 965 894 1,140 5.62% 4.68% 5.23%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,329 3,349 4,076 13.56% 17.53% 18.70%
Total 17,181 19,107 21,798 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 census, there were 21,798 people, 8,168 households, and 4,783 families residing in the city.[23] The population density was 2,373.2 inhabitants per square mile (916.3/km2). There were 8,742 housing units at an average density of 951.8 inhabitants per square mile (367.5/km2). The racial makeup was 30.03% White, 19.02% African American, 1.08% Native American, 26.19% Asian, 2.45% Pacific Islander, 11.32% from some other races and 9.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 18.70% of the population.[24] 18.0% of residents were under the age of 18, 4.7% were under 5 years of age, and 11.2% were 65 and older.

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 19,107 people, 7,157 households, and 4,124 families living in the city. The population density was 2,083.6 inhabitants per square mile (804.5/km2). There were 7,755 housing units at an average density of 845.7 inhabitants per square mile (326.5/km2). The racial makeup was 43.92% White, 17.89% African American, 1.12% Native American, 19.04% Asian, 2.76% Pacific Islander, 9.27% from some other races and 5.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 17.53% of the population.

There were 7,157 households, of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.4% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.42.

The median age in the city was 33.8 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 32.7% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.9% male and 48.1% female.

The median income for a household is $40,718, and the median income for a family of $42,442. Males had a median income of $35,525 versus $28,913 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,354. About 8.8% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those ages 65 or over.

2000 census

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As of the 2000 census, there were 17,181 people, 7,186 households, and 3,952 families living in the city. The population density was 1,927.0 people per square mile (743.7/km2). There were 7,725 housing units at an average density of 866.4 per square mile (334.4/km2). The racial makeup was 58.63% White, 12.79% African American, 1.30% Native American, 10.88% Asian, 1.82% Pacific Islander, 8.06% from some other races and 6.51% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 13.56% of the population.

There were 7,186 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.4% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 45.0% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.9 males.

Tukwila is the 1st-most diverse city in King County. Tukwila is the 11th-most diverse city in the United States. The Tukwila School District consists of one of the most diverse range of students in Washington.[25]

Crime

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Tukwila
Crime rates* (2023)
Violent crimes
Homicide2
Rape24
Robbery140
Aggravated assault58
Total violent crime224
Property crimes
Burglary324
Larceny-theft2,764
Motor vehicle theft913
Arson2
Total property crime4,003
Notes

*Number of reported crimes per 100,000 population.

2023 population: 21,135

Source: 2023 FBI UCR Data

According to the Uniform Crime Report statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 2023, there were 224 violent crimes and 4,003 property crimes per 100,000 residents. Of these, the violent crimes consisted of 2 murders, 24 forcible rapes, 140 robberies and 58 aggravated assaults, while 324 burglaries, 2,764 larceny-thefts, 913 motor vehicle thefts and 2 acts of arson defined the property offenses.

Tukwila is the 1st-most dangerous city in Washington state.[26]

Economy

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Tukwila's location at the confluence of rivers, freeways and railroads has made it an important center of commerce. Approximately 45,000 people work in Tukwila. Westfield Southcenter (formerly Southcenter Mall), Puget Sound's largest shopping complex, is located in the city, as well as a number of Boeing corporation facilities. Tukwila is also the location of corporate datacenters, including Microsoft, Internap, the University of Washington, Savvis, AboveNet,[27] digital.forest, HopOne, and Fortress Colocation. Most of these are located at Sabey Corporation's Intergate Seattle campus near Boeing Field.[28]

In 2021, Seagle Properties announced sales for the Prato District, a 320-acre (130 ha) mixed-use office, manufacturing, and retail area south of Southcenter. Preparations for the development, which began in 2009 as Tukwila South, included an extension of Southcenter Parkway built by the city government in 2012.[29]


Top employers

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According to the city's 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report,[30] the largest employers in the city are:

# Employer Product or Business # of Employees Percentage
1 Boeing Employee's Credit Union Credit Union 1,063 3.76%
2 King County Department of Natural Resources Government 701 2.48%
3 Boeing Company Aircraft Manufacturing 587 2.08%
4 Prime Now LLC Electronic Shopping 569 2.02%
5 King County Housing Authority Housing Assistance 519 1.84%
6 Nordstrom, Inc. Department Stores 465 1.65%
7 Costco Warehouse Club 419 1.48%
8 Cascade Behavioral Hospital LLC Healthcare 325 1.15%
9 Amazon E Commerce 315 1.12%
10 Sound Mental Health (2 locations) Healthcare 288 1.02%
— Total employers — 5,251 18.60%

Government and politics

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Presidential election results[31]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 23.65% 1,961 73.65% 6,107 2.70% 224
2016 20.83% 1,281 70.71% 4,348 8.46% 520

The city of Tukwila leans overwhelmingly Democratic like its neighbor Seattle and King County as a whole. It cast nearly three-quarters of its ballots for Joe Biden in the 2020 United States presidential election.

Education

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Tukwila School District, which covers the vast majority of the city,[32] has five schools: Cascade View Elementary School, Thorndyke Elementary School, Tukwila Elementary School, Showalter Middle School, and Foster High School.[33] Foster High School is among the most racially diverse schools in the United States, with students from 50 countries speaking 45 languages as of 2016.[34]

Also in the city is Raisbeck Aviation High School, a public technical school operated by the Highline Public Schools that opened in 2004.[35] Other portions of the city are in the boundaries of the Highline Public Schools, Renton School District, Kent School District, and Seattle Public Schools.[32]

Sports

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The Seattle Seawolves, two-time champions of Major League Rugby, had played their home games at the Starfire Sports complex since 2018.[36] The complex also served as the administrative and training home of the Seattle Sounders FC, and the main ground of their affiliate Tacoma Defiance, until their move to Longacres in 2024. Seattle Reign FC moved their training facilities to Starfire in 2023 and will expand in the former Sounders space.[37]

Culture

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The Museum of Flight is an air and space museum located in the extreme northern part of Tukwila, adjacent to Boeing Field.[38] Tukwila is also home to the Rainier Symphony, which conducts several performances each year at the Foster Performing Arts Center in Tukwila.[39]

In the 1990s and 2000s, "visiting Tukwila" was used as a euphemism for marital intercourse by Seattle Times columnist Erik Lacitis.[40]

Transportation

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The city is served by Amtrak Cascades and Sound Transit's Sounder commuter rail at Tukwila station, while Sound Transit's Link light rail service serves Tukwila International Boulevard station.

Notable residents

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References

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  1. ^ "Mayor's Office". City of Tukwila. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "Tukwila City Council". City of Tukwila, Washington. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "2024 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tukwila, Washington
  5. ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "City and Town Population Totals: 2020–2023". United States Census Bureau. October 29, 2024. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  7. ^ "A Northwest Pronunciation Guide". Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  8. ^ Bright, William (2004). Native American Placenames of the United States. University of Oklahoma Press. p. 518. ISBN 978-0-8061-3598-4. Retrieved April 11, 2011.
  9. ^ Crowley, Walt (September 19, 2000). "Interurban Rail Transit in King County and the Puget Sound Region". HistoryLink. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  10. ^ "City News in Brief - Riverton a Post Office". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. February 18, 1904. p. 14. The government has established a postoffice at Riverton, below Foster, King County, on the line of the interurban railroad. S.D. Goff is Postmaster.
  11. ^ "Tukwila Takes Title of City". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. June 15, 1908. p. 8.
  12. ^ "Tukwila to name Its Town Council". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. May 11, 1908. p. 8.
  13. ^ "Joel Shomaker gave Tukwila start in 1908". August 16, 2012.
  14. ^ "Holt County Sentinel". August 13, 1909 – via chroniclingamerica.loc.gov.
  15. ^ Tukwila Parks & Trails (PDF) (Map). City of Tukwila. October 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  16. ^ Ng, Assunta (August 9, 2018). "Chinese couple develop Tukwila's tallest building". Northwest Asian Weekly. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  17. ^ "City of Tukwila Comprehensive Land Use Plan" (PDF). City of Tukwila. 2015. p. 7-5. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  18. ^ "Census of Population and Housing". census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  19. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Tukwila city, Washington". www.census.gov. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  20. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Tukwila city, Washington". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  21. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Tukwila city, Washington". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  22. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Tukwila city, Washington". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  23. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  24. ^ "How many people live in Tukwila city, Washington". USA Today. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  25. ^ "Diversity in the Classroom". The New York Times. April 23, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  26. ^ "Crime in Washington 2023" (PDF). Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC). p. 282. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
  27. ^ "Forest.net homepage".
  28. ^ "Sabey Corporation homepage".
  29. ^ Minnick, Benjamin (March 24, 2021). "Segale relaunches Tukwila South as 320-acre mixed-use Prato District". Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  30. ^ "City of Tukwila 2022 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report" (PDF). October 29, 2024. p. 163.
  31. ^ King County Elections
  32. ^ a b U.S. Census Bureau Geography Division (December 21, 2020). 2020 Census – School District Reference Map: King County, WA (PDF) (Map). 1:80,000. U.S. Census Bureau. pp. 2–5. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  33. ^ Cornwell, Paige (January 23, 2018). "Tukwila School District nixes plans to build Birth-to-Five Center". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  34. ^ Wilkinson, Eric (June 2, 2016). "Tukwila's Foster High School among most diverse in U.S." KING 5 News. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  35. ^ Cornwell, Paige (April 2, 2016). "Aviation High seeks diversity with enrollment lottery". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  36. ^ Baker, Geoff (March 5, 2018). "Inside Sports Business: Can a rugby team prosper in our market? The Seawolves will try". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  37. ^ Evans, Jayda (February 12, 2024). "Sounders bid bittersweet farewell to Starfire training facility: 'It's been a good home for us'". The Seattle Times. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  38. ^ "If you go: Northwest aviation museums". The Seattle Times. March 6, 2003. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  39. ^ Radford, Dean (October 17, 2013). "This fall, experience Tukwila's cultural scene for drama, music, the world". Tukwila Reporter. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  40. ^ Lacitis, Eric (August 2, 1996). "Rex, Debby: Still 'Visiting Tukwila' And Liking It A Lot". The Seattle Times.
  41. ^ Clemans, Gayle (November 29, 2010). "William Cumming, 93, colorful member of Northwest School of artists". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  42. ^ "Rep. Zack Hudgins from Tukwila appointed to Washington State Arts Commission". Tukwila Reporter. June 20, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  43. ^ Lewis, Peter (March 7, 2003). "Frances North served her city, state". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  44. ^ Zraick, Karen (November 2, 2018). "Mario Segale, Developer Who Inspired Nintendo to Name Super Mario, Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
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