University Place, Washington
University Place is a city of 34,911 people in Pierce County, Washington, founded in 1888.
Why visit University Place
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 55 parks and trails, 121 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Tacoma Narrows Bridge (2007), Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Engine House No. 9 and Fort Steilacoom Park.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 76°F; December lows average 36°F.
Weather in University Place
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About University Place
University Place is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. Its population was 34,866 at the 2020 census. University Place received its name in the 1800s when the University of Puget Sound, a private liberal-arts college in North Tacoma, purchased land along the primary north–south route of Grandview Drive.
From the Wikipedia article University Place, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Tacoma Narrows Bridge (2007)
Bridge · 3.6 mi
Suspension bridge that span the Tacoma Narrows strait of Puget Sound in Pierce County, Washington
Museums and landmarks16
Tacoma Narrows Bridge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Suspension bridge that collapsed in 1940
Engine House No. 9
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.5 mi
Fire station in Washington, United States of America
Fort Steilacoom
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 2.6 mi
Former U.S. Army outpost near Lake Steilacoom
Fox Island School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.4 mi
Architectural structure
Rhodesleigh
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Building in Washington, United States
Tacoma Mausoleum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Historic site in Tacoma, Washington, US
Puget Sound Museum of Natural History
Museum · 4.5 mi
Natural history museum in Tacoma, Washington, United States
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds55
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Fort Steilacoom Park
Park · 3.2 mi
Park in Washington, United States of America, United States of America
Kobayashi Park
Park · 1.5 mi
Park in Washington, United States of America
Adriana Hess Wetland Park
Park · 1.4 mi
City Park, home of the Tahoma Audubon Society
2917 Morrison Road West, University Place
Cirque Park
Park · 0.7 mi
27-acre site currently being developed and centrally located in University Place with a view of Mt. Rainier. Amenities include...
7250 Cirque Drive West, University Place
Homestead Park
Park · 0.8 mi
5.5 acres around City Hall and the Public Safety Building. This park extending east from Bridgeport Way, includes natural wooded areas,...
3761 Bridgeport Way West, University Place
43 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes121
Ivar's Seafood Bar
Restaurant · Seafood · 2.2 mi
1820 South Mildred Street, Tacoma
Su-Th 10:30-22:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-23:00
Salamone's Pizzeria
Restaurant · Pizza, Italian · 2.0 mi
2122 Mildred Street West, University Place
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
Dutch Bros. Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.5 mi
8624 Steilacoom Boulevard, Southwest Lakewood
Mo-Th 05:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 05:00-23:00; Su 05:00-22:00
109 more on the map.
History
University Place received its name in the 1800s when the University of Puget Sound, a private liberal-arts college in North Tacoma, purchased land along the primary north–south route of Grandview Drive. The school sought to build a new campus there, but ended up selling the land back to the city for about $11,000. University Place remained an unincorporated part of Pierce County until the City of University Place was formed on August 31, 1995.
Today, University Place is largely suburban in character and functions as a mixed business and residential area with waterfront on the Puget Sound. The town is home to Curtis Senior High School and Charles Wright Academy.
Chambers Bay golf course opened in 2007 to favorable reviews. A Scottish links-style course, Chambers Bay hosted the 2010 U.S. Amateur and the 2015 U.S. Open.
From the History section of University Place, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship36
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Olympic View Baptist Church
Church · Baptist
4707 Elwood Drive West, University Place
Lakewood Conservative Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 2.4 mi
8521 Steilacoom Boulevard Southwest, Lakewood
Mt. Cross Lutheran Church
Church · Lutheran · 0.5 mi
8902 40th Street West, University Place
St Andrew Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 2.4 mi
7410 South 12th Street, Tacoma
Tacoma Alliance Church
Church · Christian And Missionary Alliance · 2.6 mi
2401 South Orchard Street, Tacoma
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 0.8 mi
4217 Beckonridge Drive West, University Place
Shopping16
Gas and EV charging16
Schools, colleges and libraries58
Bates Technical College - Open Doors
School · 5.4 mi
1101 South Yakima Ave., Tacoma
Healthcare54
Spinal Decompression Cold Laser Pain Relief
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.6 mi
2603 Bridgeport Way West, University Place
University Place Medical Clinic
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
4401 Bridgeport Way West, University Place
A Vital Connection
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.6 mi
2603 Bridgeport Way West, University Place
Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, P.C.
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.0 mi
5225 Cirque Drive West
Custer Foot & Ankle Clinc
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.4 mi
7507 Custer Road West, Lakewood
Dr. John Mishko
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.6 mi
2603 Bridgeport Way West, University Place
Integrative Health & Allergy
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
2607 Bridgeport Way West, University Place
Map of University Place
250 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 (4 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, 4 miles away.
- Lakewood 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Tacoma 5 mi northeast, about 8 min by car
- Parkland 7 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Artondale 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Fort Lewis 8 mi south, about 13 min by car
- Gig Harbor 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Fife 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Spanaway 10 mi southeast, about 16 min by car
- Federal Way 12 mi northeast, about 19 min by car
- Puyallup 12 mi east, 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
- Chambers Bay Treatment Plant (17565882603), Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 2024-12-04, Little Free Library (University Place, Washington), 073923AM, Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024-12-04, Little Free Library (University Place, Washington), 073906AM, Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024-12-04, Little Free Library (University Place, Washington), 073915AM, Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2024-12-04, Little Free Libraries (University Place, Washington), 080005, Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2025-12-09, Day Island Bridge (University Place, Washington), 132506, Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2025-12-09, Day Island Bridge (University Place, Washington), 132440, Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2025-12-09, Day Island Bridge (University Place, Washington), 132443, Steven Pavlov, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Opening day of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, Tacoma, Washington, University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections, Public domain
- Tacoma Mausoleum, Ben Cody, Public domain
- NicholsCenterJun2011, Hedwig in Washington, CC BY 3.0
- Immaculate Conception Church 2, Ben Cody, Public domain
- Engine House No. 9, Ben Cody, Public domain
- Rhodesleigh, Ben Cody, Public domain
- Fort Steilacoom Officer's Quarters 2, Ben Cody, Public domain
- Fort Steilacoom Park playground - March 2006, travisl, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Tacoma Narrows Bridge 2009, Lderendi, Public domain
- McChord Field aerial, Dicklyon, CC BY-SA 4.0
- CurranHouse, Elise Koncsek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chambers Bay during the US Open -Panorama- (18876202030), Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Chambers Bay during the US Open (19067123301), Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Star trail (11641545256), JOHNNY LAI from Hong Kong, Hong Kong, CC BY 2.0
- Chambers Bay Golf Course (17998751820), Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Chambers Bay Golf Course (17563878454), Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Malacocoris chlorizans 236531181, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
- Chambers Bay Golf Course (17998597488), Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Chambers Bay Golf Course Setup Staging (18000263879), Atomic Taco from Seattle, WA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Dog whistle politics, Phil Venditti, CC BY 2.0
- Eriocrania semipurpurella 280240354, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
- Narrows Bridge 2257, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Narrows Bridge 2264, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Narrows Bridge 2247, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Chlamys hastata 259621292, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
- Chlamys hastata 259621338, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
- Chlamys hastata 259621359, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
- Chlamys hastata 259621347, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
- Chlamys hastata 259621328, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
- Chlamys hastata 259621305, giantcicada, CC BY 4.0
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Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.