About Orting
Orting sits on the valley floor between the Carbon and Puyallup rivers, about twelve miles southeast of Puyallup on SR 162. It is a town of roughly 9,000 people built around one main street, Washington Avenue, and it has the most dramatic Mount Rainier view of any town in the county: the mountain sits directly at the end of the street, thirty miles away and looking much closer.
The valley grew daffodil bulbs for most of the twentieth century, which is why Orting hosts the final leg of the regional Daffodil Parade each April. Today the economy is commuters, the Washington Soldiers Home (the state veterans home, here since 1891), and the small businesses along Washington Avenue. Subdivisions built in the 2000s doubled the population without changing the one-stoplight feel.
Renters should know that Orting is inside the Mount Rainier lahar hazard zone. The city runs a siren system and regular evacuation drills, and schools practice walking to high ground. It is part of local life, openly discussed, and the reason the town has such good sidewalks and trail connections.
Living in Orting
The Foothills Trail is the town's front porch: a paved former rail line that runs from Puyallup through Orting to South Prairie and Buckley, used daily for bike commutes, strollers, and dog walks. North Park hosts the farmers market and Orting City Park (locals say Main Park) hosts everything else. The Carbon River is a short walk from most streets, and High Cedars Golf Club is at the north edge of town.
Housing is the historic core near Washington Avenue and Calistoga Street, plus the 1990s and 2000s subdivisions filling the valley floor. Groceries, hardware, and pharmacies are in town; big-box trips are twenty minutes to South Hill Puyallup. There is no train or frequent bus, so Orting suits people who drive to Puyallup, Sumner, Tacoma, or Joint Base Lewis-McChord and want small-town quiet at the end of the day.
School districts
Boundaries change; confirm the assigned school for a specific address with the district before you apply.
- Orting School District (opens in a new tab)One district serves the whole city: Orting High School, Orting Middle School, Ptarmigan Ridge Intermediate, and Orting Primary.
Annual events in Orting
- Daffodil Festival & Parade (opens in a new tab)First Saturday in April. Festivities in Main City Park from 10 am, and Orting hosts the final, evening leg of the Grand Floral Parade down Washington Avenue.
- Orting Valley Farmers Market (opens in a new tab)Fridays 3 to 7 pm, mid-May through late August at North Park, right on the Foothills Trail. Mother's Day and Independence Day markets too.
- Fourth of July Festival in the Park (opens in a new tab)July 4, 11 am to 4 pm in the city park.
- Orting Harvest Festival (opens in a new tab)Late September, 10 am to 4 pm.
- Red Hat Days (opens in a new tab)First Saturday in October. Car show from 8 am at Central Park, festival 10 to 4, and a 2 pm parade down Van Scoyoc Avenue.
- Home for the Holidays (opens in a new tab)Early December evening festival with the tree lighting.
Around Orting
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Washington Avenue, downtown Orting. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Mount Rainier from Orting. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Orting-Kapowsin Highway over the Puyallup River. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons contributors, used under Creative Commons licenses (CC BY / CC BY-SA). Click any photo for its source and license.
Other communities we serve
Renting or own property in Orting?
Our Sumner office is a short drive away. Call 253-863-6122 to schedule a showing, ask about the application process, or talk with us about managing your rental.