Community Profile

Vision Statement
"Fife will be a city where there is a balance between residential, commercial, and industrial growh and a city with a wholesome, restful, neighborhood-like atmosphere."

The City of Fife sits in the shadow of Mount Rainier in Pierce County, Washington. To the West, the Port of Tacoma makes the City prime real estate for development and business opportunity. To the East are the cities of Milton and Edgewood. Fife covers about 5.6 square miles and holds an estimated 2006 population of 6,135. The City of Fife was named in 1833 in honor of Colonel W.H. Fife who negotiated some of the first Indian treaties in the area and engineered the first water system in Tacoma. The fertile farm lands attracted many nationalities including Italians, Swiss, Scandinavian, and Japanese. This rich mixture of culture and history helps make Fife a diverse and vibrant city.

The City of Fife has established itself as a thriving warehouse, distribution and transportation district. Easy access to the Port of Tacoma and I-5 has made this a natural occurrence. With the expected expansion of SR-167 connecting to I-5, there will be an increasing demand for developable land within the City limits. In addition to all the commercial growth, Fife’s residential growth has led to a current population of over 9,000. The balance of single-family and multi-family developments help Fife maintain a quiet neighborhood feel.

Schools
The majority of the City of Fife is served by the Fife School District, which offers a primary school, two elementary schools, a middle school, a junior high school and a high school. A large southeast portion of the City is served by the Puyallup School District, with elementary and middle schools in Edgewood and the high school in downtown Puyallup.  

Government
The City of Fife has a council-manager form of government, with an elected seven member City Council. The City has many operating departments including: Executive, Finance, Administration, Public Works, Community Development, Parks Recreation and Community Services, Police and Courts.

Location:
The City of Fife has been blessed with great location. Located with direct access to I-5 and close to the Port of Tacoma and SeaTac Int’l Airport, Fife is an Ideal Place for lodging, manufacturing, distribution, and retail businesses.

Closer than you think...	Miles
SeaTac International Airport	13
JBLM- Joint Base Lewis-McChord	15
Mt. Rainier National Park	80
Seattle	28
Tacoma Dome	2
Western Washington Fair	9
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium	12
Pacific Ocean Beaches	90

Major Employers

• Milgard Windows
• Mission Foods
• Gensco
• Emerald Queen Hotel and Casino
• Federal Express
• Comcast
• Rushforth Contruction

City of Fife Advantages

• Exposure from I-5
• Proximity to Port of Tacoma
• Growing home building market
• Central Location in South Puget Sound
• Favorable taxes/fees, utility costs, & business friendly

Statistics

Tax Rates

Local B&O Tax	N/A
Utility Taxes Maximum 6% set by state Electrical Natural Gas, Phone, Sewer, and Water	3% 4.5%
Property Tax Lowest in Pierce County Source: City of Fife 2006 Budget	.0012098%

Income

$0 - $9,999	9.4%
$10 - $14,999	6.1%
$15 - $14,999	19.0%
$25 - $34,999	20.1%
$35 - $49,999	21.8%
$45 - $74,999	15%
$75,000+	$8.6%

Housing

2006 Median Housing Value	$197,461*
Single Family	50.3%
Multi-Family	49.7%
Owner Occupied	40.4%
Source Census, City Data

Land Use

	Dwelling Units	Zones Acrea	% Gross Area
Single Family	1,476	305	9.5%
Multi-Family	1,886	67	2.1%
Commercial		279	8.7%
Industrial		472	14.7%
Vacant/Developable		1,582	49.1%
Source: 2000 Census & City Data

Population

1990	2000	2010
Census	Census	Census
3,864	4,784	9,173
Source: 2000 & 2010 Census ** Office of Financial Management

Employment

2006 Licensed Businesses	675+
2002 Employment	10,210
Wholesale/Trans/Communication/Utility	35%
Manufacturing	22%
Finance/Insurance/Real Estate/Services	19%
Retail	12%
Construction/Resources	8%
Government	2%
2010 Estimated Employment Positions	13,889
2030 Estimated Employment Positions	16,929
Source: 2000 Census and City Data

Permit Activity

	2008	2009	2010
Permits	493	469	475
Valuation	$17,742,823	$29,956,983	$17,456,196