Auburn-Comp-Plan-Compiled

CORE PLAN COMMUNITY PROFILE & CHARACTERISTICS

P opulation G rowth As of 2014, Auburn ranked as the 14th-most populated city within the state of Washington with a population of approximately 76,347. It is located within the two most populous counties in the state (King and Pierce) and is nearly equidistant from the state’s two largest cities, Seattle and Tacoma. Proximity to both of these cities, and its central location within the Puget Sound region, has helped Auburn grow at a steady rate. Auburn’s growth can be characterized as occurring during three eras. The 57-year settlement era of 1893 to 1950 saw the City grow in size to 6,500 residents. The 40-year absorption era of 1950 to 1990 saw substantial infill development, with the City’s population increasing at a rate of about 6,500 residents per decade and growing to 33,000 residents. Since 1990, the City has been in an expansion era that has seen the significant annexations of three areas that have substantial development potential. R acial and E thnic C haracteristics Auburn has seen significant demographic changes over the last decade. According to the 2010 US Census, approximately 70.5% of Auburn’s population is white/non-Hispanic; data from the 2000 Census reported the white population in Auburn at 79%. In 1990, the white population made up roughly 90% of the total. What this means is that Auburn grew significantly more diverse over that 25-year period. Estimates for 2014 place the overall white population at just under 50,000 (49,238). This means that approximately 68.5% of Auburn’s population is white. If this trend continues, Auburn will continue to become increasingly racially diverse.

H ousehold and I ncome C haracteristics The year 2000 Census indicated that Auburn had 16,108 households, a number that has catapulted since then. The current number of households (based on 2013 figures) has increased to 27,427. This significant increase is due to substantial development activity over the past 15 or so years, as well as significant annexations. Homeownership in Auburn is just under 60 percent, about 3.5 points lower than the Washington state average. The lower percentage of homeownership corresponds to Auburn’s other below-Washington averages in per capita income, median household income, and graduation rate, as well as its higher-than-average percentage of persons living under the poverty level. Auburn’s median household income is $55,483, compared with the Washington average of $59,478, a nearly $4,000 difference indicating Auburn’s relatively lower earning power. A ge C haracteristics Auburn is statistically younger than the state of Washington overall. The median age in Washington is 37 years, while the median age in Auburn is 35.5, up from 34.1 in 2000. While the median age has increased, the youth population remains significant. Of Auburn’s total population, 7.4% are under 5 years of age and 25.9% are under the age of 18, and both percentages are significantly higher than state averages. The percentage of people over the age of 65 is 10.2%, similar to the state of Washington figure of 12.3%. Demographic data suggest a need for services and programming that address the needs of children and families, while continuing to focus on the needs of more mature adults and single people of all ages.

Core Plan

C2-1