Puyallup, Washington
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Image:Puyallup in Pierce County.png Puyallup (pronounced Template:IPA) is a city located in Pierce County, Washington about five miles east of Tacoma. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 33,011.
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Geography
Puyallup is located at 47°11'6" North, 122°17'32" West (47.184870, -122.292224)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.6 km² (12.2 mi²). 31.4 km² (12.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.65% water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 33,011 people, 12,870 households, and 8,519 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,049.9/km² (2,719.2/mi²). There were 13,467 housing units at an average density of 428.3/km² (1,109.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.88% White, 1.50% African American, 1.01% Native American, 3.27% Asian, 0.34% Pacific Islander, 1.94% from other races, and 4.06% from two or more races. 4.67% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 12,870 households out of which 36.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.7% were married couples living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.3% under the age of 18, 10.2% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,269, and the median income for a family was $57,322. Males had a median income of $43,562 versus $27,281 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,401. 6.7% of the population and 4.7% of families were below the poverty line. 7.2% of those under the age of 18 and 6.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
Culture
Puyallup is home to the Puyallup Fair, the largest annual fair in Washington attracting over 1 million people a year. The Puyallup Fair is also one of the ten largest fairs in the country. The city itself is built around the Puyallup Fairgrounds and the fairgrounds can be seen prominently from neighboring South Hill. The fair traditionally runs for two weeks in September and one weekend in April.
Puyallup also hosts part of the annual four-part Daffodil Parade, which takes place every year in Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, and Orting.
Puyallup is known for their myriad antiques stores, many of which are right next door to each other on the main street of Meridian. Puyallup is one of many cities and towns in Washington that contains an 'old-fashioned' downtown shopping area.
Every Saturday in summer there is a farmers' market in Pioneer Park in downtown Puyallup, where many locals gather to sell home-grown produce and plants as well as crafts.
Since 1880 Puyallup has supported its own public library. Currently located in a new two-story facility on the western edge of Pioneer Park, the Puyallup Public Library offers public meeting rooms, thin client Internet access, basic Microsoft Office productivity software, and sizable audio, video (VHS & DVD), and large print materials collections. Computer use is limited to two hours per day (Wi-Fi not currently available). The library is supported by local property taxes, and is not part of the nearby Pierce County or Tacoma public library systems. Library accounts are available to residents living within the incorporated Puyallup city limits free of charge.
Trivia
- Puyallup is pronounced "pyoo-al'-up".
- Puyallup is the second-oldest settlement in Washington State after Tumwater.
- Though Puyallup is often known for its numerous one-way streets, there are in fact only two, which is really one; 3rd Street (Northbound) and Meridian (southbound).
- The Puyallup Fair grounds was used as a Japanese internment camp in World War II. Its name was "Camp Harmony"
- Puyallup is home to baseball pitcher Jon Lester
- Puyallup is also home to Olympic champion and double gold medalist from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Megan (Quann) Jendrick
- Puyallup was founded by Ezra Meeker, a hop farmer.