Anderson Island School · National Register of Historic Places
Anderson Island’s story
68 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 maps from 1948 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1958Anderson Island is settled
Anderson IslandWA
Settled in 1958, this town now has 1,448 residents.
Anderson Island School · Photo: Ben Cody · Public domain
Population
1,448
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$546K
Census ACS
Household income
$80K
median
Median age
61.6
years
Jobs based here
122
A commuter town
Is Anderson Island a good place to live?
Anderson Island’s best subject grades are an A− for schools and an A for the outdoors; its weakest is a D for cost of living. 23% of residents live below the poverty line in Anderson Island, against 7.9% in Washington’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Only 37 of Washington’s 396 towns score lower on incomes. Anderson Island is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 76% of U.S. towns. On the outdoors, just 34 of Washington’s 397 towns do better. Anderson Island School is on the National Register of Historic Places. Anderson Island has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Anderson Island stand out
Where Anderson Island beats most towns.
A growing town
Anderson Island has grown 26% from 2010 to 2020
1,037 counted in 2010 and 1,302 in 2020.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts
How Anderson Island grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Anderson Island is from typical.
Cost of livingTypical home $546K, 4.7 years of the Seattle metro’s $115K median household incomeDOpen →Jobs & income$80K median household incomeDOpen →Hazard riskEarthquakes top the listC−Open →SchoolsNear the top of the towns comparedA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.7 of 20; 2.8% of households have no carA−Open →HealthLess healthy than 60% of U.S. towns; Madigan Amc (Ft Lewis) 5.8 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trails; 6% conserved landAOpen →History1 place on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 143 attractions →Space Needle and 122 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Anderson Island. Close and well known come first.
Big draw36 mi LookoutSpace Needle
Big draw36 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena
Big draw35 mi Stadium & arenaLumen Field
Big draw39 mi National ParkOlympic National Park3.6M visitors a year
13 mi Stadium & arenaTacoma Dome
35 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile ParkSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Space Needle: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Climate Pledge Arena: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lumen Field: "Smart Destinations", GoSeattleCard.com, and Go Seattle Card Blog, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Olympic National Park: Wsiegmund, CC BY 2.5 · Tacoma Dome: Broran28, Public domain · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
Moving to Anderson Island: who provides what
Anderson Island is unincorporated, so Pierce County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPeninsula Light Company11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterLake Josephine Riviera water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
InternetProviders and speedsData pending · D4
Trash & county servicesPierce CountyPierce County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePierce County AuditorPierce County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code9830398303 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Anderson Island.
Who lives here
Compared with most of Washington and the rest of the country, the median age in Anderson Island is higher
Among adults 25 and older, 44% have a four-year degree or more, against 40% across Washington.
61.6median age · WA 38.3
| Anderson Island | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.6 years | 38.5 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 44% | 30% | 29% |
Anderson IslandWashingtonUnited States
Ages · share of residents
34%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma0%
High school1%
Some college45%
Associate’s10%
Bachelor’s33%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.4 points. Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women. Among residents 55 to 64, 69% are men (WA 50%).
| Anderson Island | WA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 0% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 0% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 2.6% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 1.4% | 15.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 2.1% | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 19.8% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 34.3% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 29.7% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.2% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 0% | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 1.3% | 21.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 44.9% | 21% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 9.8% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 32.9% | 24% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.1% | 15.6% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 1,400, single groups can be off by several points
SchoolsA−
Anderson Island’s schools rank ahead of 81% of Washington districts
Its one school is below. School District runs its public schools. The Steilacoom Hist.
81%of WA districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson Island ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 19 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade D
Anderson Island has 0.3 jobs per working resident, so most workers leave town for work
Commuting out is the norm in Anderson Island: 4% of working residents work locally. Jobs based in Anderson Island grew to 122 in 2023, 44 more than in 2013. The mean commuting time for Anderson Island comes to 36 minutes. Half commute less than 19 miles.
4%work in town
| Anderson Island | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 36 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 4.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Anderson Island4%
Tacoma12%
Seattle8%
Gig Harbor6%
Lakewood4%
19 mi
median commute distance
122
jobs based in Anderson Island
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 76% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Top of a high hazard risk in Anderson Island: earthquakes
In Anderson Island, the FEMA hazard score is 76 of 100. Nearly two thirds of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 25%. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2025.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
The climate in Anderson Island brings mild winters and pleasant summers
Anderson Island’s peak summer temperature comes in at 78°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–48°
Spring41–61°
Summer53–76°
Fall44–62°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 11
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
A larger share of adults in Anderson Island have diabetes than in the typical Washington or U.S. town
The share of adults in Anderson Island who had a checkup this year: 79%. Only one of the 286 Washington towns we compare has a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Anderson Island. Of 31 CDC measures, Anderson Island beats the Washington average on 12 and trails it on 13.
40%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Anderson Island | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 47% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 9.8% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 14% |
31 measures vs. Washington
12 better6 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Anderson Island | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 12% | 16.6% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 7.4% | 9.9% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.1% | 5.4% |
Madigan Amc (Ft Lewis)
5.8 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsA
6.3% of Anderson Island is conserved land
Andy's Wildlife Park, at 157 acres with 2.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. 5.1 miles of trail in 15 parks and preserves. Anderson Island’s concentration of trails stands at 0.4 miles per square mile.
6.3%conserved
| Anderson Island | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6.3% | 4% | 4.3% |
6.3%
conserved · 564 of 8,977 acres
5.1 mi
of trails · 0.4 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Andy's Wildlife Park | 2.1 mi | 157 |
| 2. Jacob's Point Park | 1.8 mi | 84 |
| 3. Andy's Marine Park | 1 mi | 87 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade D
The median home in Anderson Island sells for about $436K
Only 3 of the 286 Washington towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Anderson Island. Homes sold in Anderson Island spent a median 67 days on the market. Sellers in Anderson Island got 97.5% of the asking price, typically.
$436Kmedian sale price
Market temperature
67
days on market
97.5%
sale-to-list price
5
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Anderson Island
18pages on Anderson Island
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
12 within 15 miles of the center of Anderson Island
Pierce College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Lakewood5.4 mi$5,418 in-state tuitionClover Park Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lakewood8.8 mi$6,634 in-state tuitionUniversity of Washington-Tacoma CampusUniversity or college · Public · Tacoma13.2 mi$13,168 in-state tuition
About 1 of every 100 Anderson Island residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
Small town
1,448 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
About Anderson Island
Island and census-designated place in Washington, US
Anderson Island is the southernmost island in Puget Sound and a census-designated place of Pierce County, Washington, United States. It is accessible by boat or a 20-minute ferry ride from Steilacoom. Anderson Island is just south of McNeil Island. To the northwest, Key Peninsula is across Drayton Passage. The south basin of Puget Sound separates the island from the mainland to the southeast, while to the southwest the Nisqually Reach of Puget Sound separates the island from the mainland.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 148 ft
- ZIP code
- 98303
- Area code
- 253
Questions about Anderson Island
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Anderson Island, WA expensive?
Yes. The typical home is worth about $546,000, 7% below the Washington typical home. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.