Fox Island, Washington
Fox Island is a community of 3,414 people in Pierce County, Washington.
Why visit Fox Island
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Fox Island School and Tacoma DeMolay Sandspit Nature Preserve.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 76°F; December lows average 36°F.
Weather in Fox Island
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fox Island
Fox Island is an island and census-designated place (CDP) in Pierce County, Washington, United States, located in Puget Sound. It is located approximately 5 miles (8 km) from Gig Harbor. The island was named Fox by Charles Wilkes during the United States Exploring Expedition, to honor J.L. Fox, an assistant surgeon on the expedition.
From the Wikipedia article Fox Island, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Fox Island School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Architectural structure
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship2
History
The island was part of the territory of the Steilacoom people, a Coast Salish tribe.
In 1792, during the Vancouver Expedition, Peter Puget led an exploration party through southern Puget Sound. After an encounter with local Native tribes ended with Puget ordering a musket fired as warning, the exploration party retreated to Fox Island, where they made camp for the night.
From the History section of Fox Island, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries25
Map of Fox Island
39 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°F | 36°F | 6.1 in |
| Feb | 48°F | 36°F | 4.1 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 38°F | 4.6 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 41°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 64°F | 46°F | 2.1 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 51°F | 1.4 in |
| Jul | 76°F | 54°F | 0.7 in |
| Aug | 76°F | 54°F | 0.9 in |
| Sep | 70°F | 51°F | 1.5 in |
| Oct | 59°F | 46°F | 4.3 in |
| Nov | 50°F | 40°F | 7.2 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 36°F | 5.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Tacoma Narrows Ap (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Pierce County has had 13 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2025-12-12: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-09-09: Sumner Grade Fire (Fire)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2012-03-05: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Tacoma Narrows Airport (TIW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 3 miles away.
- Artondale 3 mi north, about 6 min by car
- University Place 5 mi southeast, about 8 min by car
- Gig Harbor 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Anderson Island 7 mi south, about 12 min by car
- Lakewood 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Tacoma 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Canterwood 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Burley 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Fort Lewis 12 mi south, about 19 min by car
- Parkland 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Commencement Bay from the Air, Eusebius1517, CC BY-SA 4.0
- NicholsCenterJun2011, Hedwig in Washington, CC BY 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.