The Town FilesFort Lewis, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 14,052 (2020 Census)
- Household income
- $58,796
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 22.9
Fort Lewis is a community of 14,052 people in Pierce County, Washington. It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 77% of Washington towns, more walkable than 76% of Washington towns.
How Fort Lewis ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
Median rent is $2,282 a month. 1.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fort Lewis | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | — | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,282 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $58,796 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | —× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 1.0% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Fort Lewis
| People | Fort Lewis | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 22.9 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 0.2% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 28.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.4% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.2% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 21.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.4% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 11.4 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 98.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in Fort Lewis
July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 36.4°F. About 42.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.8 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 21 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Lewis since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 30, 2013 about 9.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 30, 2013.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 333,492 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,395 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Fort Lewis itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Fort Lewis
3 public schools with 1,602 students, about 16.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainier Elementary School | PK-5 | 620 | 16.3 |
| Hillside Elementary School | PK-5 | 545 | 17.0 |
| Evergreen Elementary School | PK-5 | 437 | 14.6 |
Towns near Fort Lewis
- North Fort Lewis, WA2.2 mi · 5,978 people · home —
- DuPont, WA3.9 mi · 10,151 people · home $583,600
- McChord AFB, WA4.4 mi · 3,188 people · home —
- Lakewood, WA5.1 mi · 63,612 people · home $461,200
- Steilacoom, WA5.2 mi · 6,727 people · home $655,000
- Spanaway, WA6.8 mi · 35,476 people · home $445,700
- Parkland, WA6.9 mi · 38,623 people · home $423,000
- University Place, WA8.3 mi · 34,866 people · home $624,800
Fort Lewis questions
Is Fort Lewis, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fort Lewis scores better for retirees than 0% of Washington towns and quieter than 1%. 0.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.9).
What is the weather like in Fort Lewis?
July highs average 75.5°F and January lows 36.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 42.0 inches of precipitation a year and 3.8 inches of snow.
Does Fort Lewis get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fort Lewis since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 30, 2013. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)