Longbranch School Gymnasium · National Register of Historic Places
Longbranch’s story
135 years in pictures
The archive holds 5 maps from 1937 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1891Longbranch is settled
LongbranchWA
Public schools that outperform most of Washington. The town, settled in 1891, counts 4,638 residents.
1 bordering townMap →
Longbranch School Gymnasium · Photo: Jon Roanhaus · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,638
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$617K
+1.4% in a year
Household income
$96K
median
Median age
50.3
years
Jobs based here
130
A commuter town
TownGrade
C
#203 of 285 in WA
What should you know before moving to Longbranch?
A town of contrasts. Its weakest subject is walkability. Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 98% of U.S. towns. Where it does best is schools: its schools outperform 88% of the state's. At about $617K, a typical home costs 5.4 years of the Seattle metro’s $115K median household income. Put together, the subjects come to a C overall, ranking 203rd of 285 in Washington. On that grade it does better than 27% of U.S. towns. Longbranch School Gymnasium is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Figures: schools, state test and graduation results · home values, Zillow · incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · National Register of Historic Places.
What makes Longbranch stand out
Where Longbranch beats most towns.
A commuter town
98% of working residents leave Longbranch for work
Where Longbranch’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
130jobs based in Longbranch
2%of working residents work in town
20 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Longbranch grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Longbranch is from typical.
WalkabilityEPA walkability 3.8 of 20; 3.6% of households have no car; 0% of workers walk, bike or ride transitD−Open →SchoolsGraded on exam and test resultsAOpen →Hazard riskEarthquakes top the listC−Open →Jobs & income$96K median household incomeCOpen →Cost of livingHomes are harder to afford than in most townsC+Open →HealthLess healthy than 61% of U.S. towns; Madigan Amc (Ft Lewis) 11.9 miles awayC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors4 miles of trails; 4% conserved landB−Open →History1 place on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateMild winters, 78° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market54 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 50.3; 22% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 147 attractions →Space Needle and 125 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Longbranch. Close and well known come first.
Big draw34 mi LookoutSpace Needle
Big draw34 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena
Big draw33 mi Stadium & arenaLumen Field
Big draw32 mi National ParkOlympic National Park3.6M visitors a year
33 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile Park
16 mi Stadium & arenaTacoma DomeSources: 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 · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tacoma Dome: Broran28, Public domain
Getting set up
Moving to Longbranch: who provides what
Longbranch is unincorporated, so Pierce County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerPeninsula Light Company11.3¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPalmer Lake water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers67% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
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 codes98349, 9835198349 68% · 98351 32%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 Longbranch.
Longbranch has cooler summers than nearly all U.S. towns and sends most of its workers to Tacoma and beyond, but it has poverty well above the Washington rate.
SchoolsA
Longbranch’s grade for schools is an A
The Peninsula School District runs its public schools. Its one school is below. Enrollment at Longbranch’s public school: 336 students.
88%of WA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evergreen ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 336 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C
Longbranch stands out in Washington and nationally: the average trip to work there is longer
Longbranch has 130 jobs for its 1,417 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. The average commute takes 45.5 minutes, against 26.6 across Washington.
The share of residents in Longbranch who live below the poverty line is 18%, against 7.9% in Washington’s towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Jobs based in Longbranch grew to 130 in 2023, 73 more than in 2013. 1.6% of Longbranch working residents work locally. The top destinations are Tacoma (12%), Seattle (9%) and Gig Harbor (7%).
2%work in town
| Longbranch | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 46 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.6% | 5% | 8% |
| Median household income | $96,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Longbranch2%
Tacoma12%
Seattle9%
Gig Harbor7%
Olympia3%
20 mi
median commute distance
130
jobs based in Longbranch
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
D−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 2% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C−
Natural hazards: high risk in Longbranch, mostly earthquakes
On expected storm and flood damage, Longbranch sits above just over three quarters of U.S. communities. Nearly two thirds of the town’s expected losses from natural hazards come from earthquakes, followed by inland flooding at 25%. One declared disaster, in 2009, has brought federal aid to Longbranch households.
76risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers in Longbranch
July afternoons average 77.1°, cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35.4°.
Longbranch’s typical July afternoon high stands at 77°F, near the Washington town median (77°F) and below the median of U.S. towns (85°F). The January low in the town is 35°F. Snow almost never falls.
78°summer high
| Longbranch | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 77°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 35°F | 35°F | 22°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–47°
Spring41–60°
Summer53–75°
Fall44–61°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 11
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
78°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
More of Longbranch’s adults have high blood pressure than in the typical Washington or U.S. town
Against the 9,196 U.S. towns with household incomes like Longbranch’s, it is less healthy than 81%, so it trails even them.
The town beats the Washington average on 3 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 16. The share of adults in Longbranch who have been diagnosed with depression: 29%.
39%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Longbranch | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 31% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 23% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 33% | 35% |
31 measures vs. Washington
3 better12 too close to call16 worse
| What stands out | Longbranch | WA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 75.7% | 70.7% |
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 74.1% | 70.7% |
| More adults with COPD | 7.7% | 5.1% |
Madigan Amc (Ft Lewis)
11.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
11th
percentile among WA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
OutdoorsB−
Conservation land takes up 4.3% of Longbranch
Walkers can cover 4.2 miles of trail in 6 parks and preserves. Penrose Point State Park, at 185 acres with 3.1 miles of trail, is the biggest park or preserve. For Longbranch, the trail network density is 0.2 miles per square mile.
#225for trails in WA
| Longbranch | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.3% | 4% | 4.3% |
4.3%
conserved · 555 of 12,940 acres
4.2 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Penrose Point State Park | 3.1 mi | 185 |
| 2. Joemma Beach State Park | 0.5 mi | 90 |
| 3. Filucy Bay Preserve | — | 177 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HousingCost of living grade C+
Longbranch’s grade for cost of living is a C+
Nine in ten households are owner-occupiers in Longbranch. A typical home in the town is worth about $617,000, up 1.4% in a year, close to the Washington typical home. The typical rent for Longbranch comes to $1,750 a month.
$617KZillow home value
| Longbranch | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 90% | 70% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,750 a month | $1,737 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Longbranch$617K
Washington$588K
Market temperature
54
days on market
99.2%
sale-to-list price
+1.4%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in September
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Longbranch
18pages on Longbranch
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
7 within 15 miles of the center of Longbranch
Pierce College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Lakewood9.9 mi$5,418 in-state tuitionTacoma Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Tacoma11.5 mi$5,507 in-state tuitionThe Evergreen State CollegeUniversity or college · Public · Olympia14.3 mi$9,264 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Longbranch residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Washington.
About Longbranch
Unincorporated community in Washington, United States
Longbranch is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Pierce County, Washington, United States. It is located on the Key Peninsula, along Filucy Bay between Pitt Passage and Balch Passage. Longbranch is primarily residential (like nearby Home and Lakebay) and includes a marina, church, and community center. As of the 2020 census, Longbranch had a population of 4,141. The community was named after Long Branch, New Jersey.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 20 sq mi
- Elevation
- 190 ft
- ZIP code
- 98351
- Area code
- 253
Longbranch’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Longbranch.
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longbranch | #203 | C | C+ | — | A | C+ |
| Home | — | — | B− | — | A | B− |
Home has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Longbranch and Home report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Longbranch with a neighbor →
Questions about Longbranch
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Longbranch, WA a good place to live?
Longbranch grades C overall, better than 27% of U.S. towns and #203 of 285 in Washington. It grades C+ for health and A for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Longbranch, WA expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.