About Puyallup
Puyallup is the largest city in the valley, about 43,000 people, ten miles southeast of Tacoma. It was founded by hop farmer Ezra Meeker, whose 1890 Victorian mansion still stands a few blocks from downtown, and it has kept a real town center: Pioneer Park and its pavilion, a compact grid of shops and restaurants along Meridian, and a Sounder station on the north edge of downtown.
The fairgrounds define the calendar. The Washington State Fair runs for about three weeks every September and is one of the largest fairs in the country; the Spring Fair fills the same grounds in April. Traffic on those weekends is a fact of life for anyone living near Meridian, and locals plan around it.
The city has two distinct halves. Downtown and the older neighborhoods on the valley floor feel like a small town; South Hill, up Meridian to the south, is where the newer subdivisions, the mall, Pierce College, and most of the chain retail landed from the 1980s onward. MultiCare Good Samaritan Hospital, one of the county's largest employers, sits between them.
Living in Puyallup
Renters who want to walk to coffee, the Saturday market, and the train look at the bungalows and small apartment buildings between Pioneer Park and the river. Families chasing a garage and a newer floor plan tend to end up on South Hill, where the trade-off is a car-dependent commute down the hill. Bradley Lake Park, Wildwood Park, and the Clarks Creek hatchery trail are the go-to green spaces; the paved Riverwalk Trail along the Puyallup River links to Sumner's trail system.
Getting around: SR 512 connects to I-5 in about ten minutes, SR 167 heads north up the valley, and SR 161 (Meridian) is the spine of South Hill. Sounder trains to Tacoma and Seattle leave from downtown on weekday mornings. Costco, the South Hill Mall, and every major grocery chain are on the hill; the downtown farmers' market and antique shops cover the rest.
School districts
Boundaries change; confirm the assigned school for a specific address with the district before you apply.
- Puyallup School District (opens in a new tab)One of the largest districts in Pierce County and the district for essentially all city addresses. Three comprehensive high schools: Puyallup, Rogers, and Emerald Ridge.
Annual events in Puyallup
- Washington State Fair (opens in a new tab)About twenty days starting the Friday of Labor Day weekend, plus a week-long Spring Fair in April. Rodeo, concerts, rides, scones. Expect traffic on Meridian.
- Meeker Days (opens in a new tab)Mid-June, Friday through Sunday. Downtown streets close for roughly 250 vendors, live music, a beer garden, and a cornhole tournament; the festival is more than 85 years old.
- Puyallup Farmers' Market (opens in a new tab)Saturdays 9 am to 2 pm, mid-April through mid-October at Pioneer Park and Pavilion. Up to 150 vendors, indoor and outdoor.
- Daffodil Festival Grand Floral Parade (opens in a new tab)First Saturday in April; the Puyallup leg passes through downtown around midday.
- Holiday Magic at the Fairgrounds (opens in a new tab)December. The fairgrounds' winter light and holiday event.
Around Puyallup
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Downtown Puyallup. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Looking toward the mountain from the valley. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
(opens photo source and license in a new tab)Shopfront on Meridian. 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.
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Renting or own property in Puyallup?
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.