Auburn, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Auburn, Washington
City
Downtown Auburn in 2018, seen from the train station's parking garage
Flag Logo
Nickname(s):  A-town
Motto(s):  "More Than You Imagined"
Location of Auburn in King County
Country	United States
State	Washington
Counties	King, Pierce
Incorporated	June 13, 1891
Named for	Auburn, New York
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• Total	29.87 sq mi (77.35 km2)
• Land	29.58 sq mi (76.60 km2)
• Water	0.29 sq mi (0.75 km2)
Elevation	82 ft (25 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	87,256
• Estimate  (2023)	83,870
• Rank	US: 422nd WA: 15th
• Density	2,836.04/sq mi (1,095.01/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	98001, 98002, 98003, 98023, 98047, 98063, 98071, 98092, 98093
Area code(s)	253
FIPS code	53-03180
GNIS feature ID	1511974

Auburn is a city in Washington state, located mostly in King County. A small part of the city is in Pierce County. In 2020, about 87,256 people lived there.

Auburn is a suburb of Seattle, a larger city nearby. It is the 15th largest city in Washington. The Muckleshoot Indian Reservation is located just south and southeast of Auburn.

History of Auburn

Neely Mansion, built in 1894

Auburn's first store in 1886

Before the 1850s, the Muckleshoot people lived in the Green River Valley. European settlers arrived in the 1860s. One settler, Levi Ballard, started a farm between the Green and White rivers.

In 1886, Ballard officially planned a town. He named it Slaughter, after an officer who died in a conflict in 1855. The town of Slaughter became an official city on June 13, 1891.

However, people didn't like the name "Slaughter." The town's hotel was even called the "Slaughter House"! So, in 1893, the name was changed to Auburn. It was named after Auburn, New York, because both towns grew a plant called hops.

The White and Green Rivers have always been important to Auburn. But they also caused many floods. People even created Mountain View Cemetery on a hill to avoid the floods. Later, the Mud Mountain Dam and Howard A. Hanson Dam were built. These dams stopped the flooding, helping the city grow.

In 1917, Auburn gave land in Pioneer Cemetery to the White River Buddhist Church. Japanese-American baseball teams from the area were very successful. In 1930, a Japanese bath house was built near Neely Mansion.

During World War II, many Japanese-American families in Auburn were forced to leave their homes. They were sent to special camps because of Executive Order 9066. This happened in 1942. After the war, only about 25 out of 300 Japanese families returned to Auburn. Later, in 1980, a government group said this was unfair.

In 2008, Auburn grew by adding the West Hill and Lea Hill areas. This added 15,000 new residents to the city.

Geography of Auburn

Auburn covers about 29.87 square miles (77.35 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small amount of water.

Two rivers flow through Auburn: the White River and the Green River.

Long ago, another river called the Stuck River ran through the area. In 1906, the White River was redirected into the Stuck's path. Today, the Stuck River is mostly part of the White River.

Neighborhoods in Auburn

Map of Auburn's neighborhoods

Auburn has many different neighborhoods:

• Downtown—This area has old buildings and traditional streets. It also has many Craftsman-style houses from the 1920s.
• North Auburn—This area has both businesses and homes.
• River's Bend—A small group of homes along the Green River.
• Christopher/Thomas—These were once farming towns. They became part of Auburn in the 1960s.
• Lea Hill—Mostly homes, this area joined Auburn in 2007. Green River College is located here.
• Hazelwood—This area is on Lea Hill. It was a town in the late 1800s.
• West Valley—An area with businesses and factories.
• West Hill—Located on a hill, next to the city of Federal Way.
• South Auburn—An area south of downtown that is becoming a business zone.
• Terminal Park—Homes for railroad workers, near the rail yard.
• Forest Villa—Mostly homes near Game Farm Park.
• Lakeland Hills—A large planned community on a hillside. It is in both King and Pierce counties.
• Hidden Valley—A planned community overlooking North Lake Tapps.

Auburn's Climate

People in Auburn

In 2023, there were about 30,938 households in Auburn. Each household had about 2.74 people. The average household income was $92,824. About 9.6% of people in Auburn live below the poverty line.

Most people in Auburn have a high school diploma (88.9%). About 26.2% have a college degree or higher.

Many people in Auburn have German (11.6%), English (9.3%), or Irish (5.9%) backgrounds. The average age in the city is 36.6 years old.

Population Changes (2020 Census)

In 2020, Auburn had 87,256 people. There were 30,806 households. The city's population density was about 2950 people per square mile.

The population was made up of different groups:

• 51.60% White
• 7.79% African American
• 2.29% Native American
• 13.11% Asian
• 3.17% Pacific Islander
• 10.32% from other races
• 11.72% from two or more races

About 18.59% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. About 24.9% of residents were under 18 years old.

Economy and Jobs

Jobs in Auburn

As of August 2024, about 69.2% of people in Auburn have jobs. The unemployment rate was 5.2%.

The Boeing Plant in Auburn opened in 1966. It is the world's largest factory for airplane parts. It makes 1.265 million parts each year. Over 5,000 people work there. Boeing is the third biggest employer in Auburn.

The Northwest headquarters for the United States General Services Administration is also in Auburn.

Top Employers in Auburn

Here are the largest employers in Auburn:

Shopping in Auburn

The Outlet Collection Seattle is a large outlet mall in Auburn. It opened in 1995.

Arts and Culture

The White River Valley Museum in Auburn shows the area's history. You can learn about the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and early settlers. It also covers Japanese immigration, farming, and railroads. You can see a pioneer cabin and a train caboose.

Auburn has a large public library that is part of the King County Library System. It is 20,000 square feet and was expanded in 2012. The library is in Les Gove Park. This park also has the White River Valley Museum and a senior center. Many celebrations, like the Fourth of July, happen in Les Gove Park.

Auburn is a special place for Veterans Day celebrations. The US Department of Veterans Affairs chose it as a Regional Site.

Important Landmarks

The City of Auburn has named these buildings as landmarks:

Landmark	Built	Listed	Photo
Auburn Masonic Temple	1923–24	2002
Auburn Post Office	1937	2000
Auburn Public Library	1914	1995

Sports

Emerald Downs

Emerald Downs is a large stadium and thoroughbred horse racetrack. It covers 167 acres. The Muckleshoot tribe bought the land in 2002.

Parks and Recreation

Auburn has many parks and open spaces. There are 28 developed parks. The city also has over 23 miles of trails for biking, walking, and skating. This includes 4.5 miles of the Inter-urban Trail. There are also almost 247 acres of open space for outdoor fun.

Education

Auburn Senior High, founded in 1903

Public schools in Auburn are managed by the Auburn School District. This district also serves nearby towns like Algona and Pacific. Some parts of Auburn are served by the Federal Way and Kent school districts.

High Schools in Auburn

• Auburn High School
• Auburn Mountainview High School
• Auburn Riverside High School
• Auburn Adventist Academy
• West Auburn High School

Elementary and Middle Schools

Private and Alternative Schools

• Auburn Adventist Academy
• Rainier Christian High School
• Valley Christian School
• Holy Family School
• Auburn Online

College

• Green River College

Transportation

Auburn station in downtown is a major hub for the Green River Valley.

Auburn has important roads like State Route 167 and State Route 18. The city also has its own transit center, Auburn station, in downtown. This station is a main hub for southern King County.

Buses connect Auburn Transit Center to Federal Way, Sumner, and Kent. Other buses go to Green River Community College, The Outlet Collection Seattle, and Auburn Way.

Sounder commuter trains travel from Auburn to Downtown Seattle in about 30 minutes. They also go to Lakewood station in less than 35 minutes.

Auburn used to have a large train yard for the Northern Pacific Railway. Today, BNSF Railway still uses a rail yard there for train repairs. The Auburn Municipal Airport is also available for small planes.

Notable People from Auburn

• Harrison Maurus, a weightlifter who won a bronze medal.
• Nate Cohn, a journalist and expert on public opinion polls.
• Janna Crawford, a Paralympic athlete who won a gold medal.
• Cam Gigandet, an actor.
• Christine Gregoire, who was the 22nd governor of Washington.
• Greg Haugen, a professional boxer.
• Eric Barone, a video game designer known as ConcernedApe.
• Gordon Hirabayashi, a civil rights activist.
• Ariana Kukors, an Olympic swimmer and world record holder.
• Evan McMullin, a former CIA officer.
• Sir Mix-A-Lot, a hip hop artist.
• Blair Rasmussen, a former NBA basketball player.
• Dave Reichert, a former sheriff and U.S. Congressman.
• Diane Schuur, a jazz singer and pianist.
• Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, a NASA astronaut.
• Danny Shelton, an NFL football player.
• Minoru Yamasaki, a famous architect.

Sister Cities

Auburn has five sister cities around the world:

• Tamba, Japan
• Pyeongchang, South Korea
• Guanghan, China
• Yuhang, China
• Mola di Bari, Italy

Auburn and Tamba, Japan, have a yearly student exchange program. Students from both cities visit each other.

Images for kids

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  Auburn Masonic Temple

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  Auburn Post Office

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  Auburn Public Library

See also

In Spanish: Auburn (Washington) para niños