Fife, Washington
Fife, Washington | |
|---|---|
 Location of Fife, Washington | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Pierce |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.7 sq mi (14.7 km2) |
| • Land | 5.6 sq mi (14.4 km2) |
| • Water | 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km2) |
| Elevation | 23 ft (7 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 9,173 |
| • Density | 859.7/sq mi (331.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 98424 |
| Area code | 253 |
| FIPS code | 53-23795Template:GR |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512206Template:GR |
Fife is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 9,173 at the 2010 census.
History
In 1940, it was described as "Fife...at a valley crossroads in the midst of a thickly settled berry growing and truck-gardening district is represented by a string of markets, taverns, shops, and a large, balloon-roofed dance hall along the highway." The 1940 population was 135. (Washington - A guide to the Evergreen State, WPA American Guide Series, Washington State Historical Society, 1941). Fife was officially incorporated on February 11, 1957.
It is a small city located east of Tacoma and consists primarily of businesses such as car dealerships and other highwayside businesses. Fife Heights, located on a hill beyond the incorporated bounds of the city, is a primarily residential area.
Due to the increased traffic volume traveling from Puyallup and Tacoma, Fife felt the need to establish itself as autonomous community, not just as an intermediate area between Interstate 5 (I-5) and State Route 167.
Fife may have been named for William J. Fife, a prominent Tacoma lawyer, Yukon prospector, once head of the Washington National Guard, and a Lieutenant Colonel in the field during the Philippine Insurrection.[1]
Geography
Fife is located at 47°14′4″N 122°21′35″W / 47.23444°N 122.35972°W (47.234439, -122.359690).Template:GR
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.7 square miles (14.7 km²), of which, 5.6 square miles (14.4 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²) of it (1.59%) is water.
Fife is also a tideflat community, residing in the low, flat area extending from the Port of Tacoma. This means the water table occurs only 10–15 feet below ground in some parts. Consequently, during the day as the tide rises and falls in the Puget Sound, so do parts of land slightly rise and fall.
Surrounding cities
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Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1,463 | — | |
| 1970 | 1,458 | −0.3% | |
| 1980 | 1,823 | 25.0% | |
| 1990 | 3,864 | 112.0% | |
| 2000 | 4,784 | 23.8% | |
| 2010 | 9,173 | 91.7% |
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 4,784 people, 2,111 households, and 1,123 families residing in the city. The population density was 859.7 people per square mile (332.2/km²). There were 2,232 housing units at an average density of 401.1 per square mile (155.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.62% White, 6.81% African American, 4.14% Native American, 6.50% Asian, 1.23% Pacific Islander, 6.94% from other races, and 5.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.55% of the population.
There were 2,111 households out of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.4% were married couples living together, 14.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.8% were non-families. 37.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 14.4% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,806, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $30,963 versus $25,101 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,723. About 12.6% of families and 14.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.8% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The Fife Public Schools serve both the cities of Fife and Milton, as well as pockets of Edgewood, and Federal Way. Fife has one high school, Fife High School.
Notable natives
- Dr. Mark Emmert, former President, University of Washington and currently President of the National Collegiate Athletic Association
References
- ^ Downtown Tacoma Caroline Denyer Gallacci and Ron Karabaich. Arcadia Publishing, 2009 http://books.google.com/books?id=XGBdyPvhse8C&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=%22William+J.+Fife%22+Tacoma&source=bl&ots=Ujb3QZkoXX&sig=82kJdmGs2P5S2qmHd3a5BUPn_l4&hl=en&ei=ECVfTLyLIo-isQPiz5i9CA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CCEQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=%22William%20J.%20Fife%22%20Tacoma&f=false
External links
Municipalities and communities of Pierce County, Washington, United States | ||
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| Other communities | ||
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| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |