Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Pacific grades C+ overall, ranked 146th of 285 in Washington, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 91% of U.S. communities, with earthquakes at the top. It also does better than most on health: it is healthier than 73% of U.S. towns. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: homes are expensive, about $540K for a typical one and 4.7 times the Seattle metro’s $115K median household income. Pacific's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 98% of U.S. towns. Pacific’s average trip to work is 32 minutes, above both the Washington town median (27 minutes) and the median of U.S. towns (25 minutes).
Where Pacific beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Pacific is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 413 in 1910, 7,235 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2007 and 4 maps from 1897 on.
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Pacific. Close and well known come first.
Big draw25 mi LookoutSpace Needle
Big draw23 mi Stadium & arenaLumen Field
Big draw25 mi Stadium & arenaClimate Pledge Arena
3 mi Theme parkWild Waves Theme Park
23 mi Stadium & arenaT-Mobile Park
8 mi Stadium & arenaTacoma DomeSpace Needle: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lumen Field: "Smart Destinations", GoSeattleCard.com, and Go Seattle Card Blog, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Climate Pledge Arena: Sea Cow, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wild Waves Theme Park: Jessica Spengler from Hove, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 · T-Mobile Park: MyName (Cacophony), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tacoma Dome: Broran28, Public domain
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pacific, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Pacific.
Pacific has fewer 90° days than nearly all U.S. towns, trades workers with Seattle and other neighbors and is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Washington.
Since 2000, 58 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Pacific.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Its public schools are run by the Auburn School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpac Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 534 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
Within Washington it is less healthy than 55% of the 285 graded towns: Washington sets a high bar. Against the 6,372 U.S. towns with household incomes like Pacific’s, it is less healthy than 55%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
67% of adults had a checkup this year in Pacific. Pacific beats the Washington average on 3 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 28% of adults have obesity in Pacific.
| Pacific | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 67% | 71% | 79% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 33% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 31% | 35% |
| What stands out | Pacific | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 21.3% | 24.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 16.1% | 10.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The Seattle Tacoma Intl Ap weather station, 13 miles away, records that about 4 days a year reach 90°, fewer than in 98% of U.S. towns. July afternoons average 76.9°, cooler than in 97% of U.S. towns; January nights average 35.6°.
Pacific has mild winters and pleasant summers. Pacific’s July high is 77°F. About 6 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Pacific | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 77°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 36°F | 35°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Reported crimes fell from 190 to 62 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The property crime rate in Pacific is 7.9 per 1,000 residents. Within Washington, it does better than 59% of towns. The violent crime rate in Pacific is 0.9 per 1,000 residents.
| Pacific | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.9 per 1,000 residents | 15.1 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Pacific has about as many jobs (3,641) as working residents, but only 59 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 2,705 in 2013 to 3,641.
Most working residents leave Pacific for work: only 2% work in town. Jobs based in Pacific grew to 3,641 in 2023, 936 more than in 2013. 14% of Pacific residents live below the poverty line.
| Pacific | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $116,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.7% | 5% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The typical Pacific home is worth about $540,000, down 0.8% in a year, 8% below the Washington typical home.
| Pacific | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 58% | 71% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,692 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
| Pacific | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3.2% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Clint Steiger Memorial Park | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
10 within 15 miles of the center of Pacific
About 4 of every 100 Pacific residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
City in Washington, United States
Pacific is a city in King and Pierce counties in the State of Washington. Located primarily in King County, the population was 7,235 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
5 towns share a border with Pacific.
| Town | WA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific | #146 | C+ | C− | C+ | B+ | B+ |
| Auburn | #214 | C− | D | D | B− | A− |
| Algona | #140 | B− | C+ | B− | B− | B+ |
| Lakeland South | #162 | C+ | D | — | C | A |
| Edgewood | #132 | B− | D | C | B+ | A− |
| Sumner | #159 | C+ | D | D | A | B |
Lakeland South reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Pacific with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Pacific grades C+ overall, better than 44% of U.S. towns and #146 of 285 in Washington. It grades B+ for health, C+ for safety and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D.
Within Washington, it does better than 59% of towns.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
