Brier, Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brier, Washington
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Location of Brier, Washington
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| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Snohomish |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Incorporated | February 11, 1965 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.20 sq mi (5.69 km2) |
| • Land | 2.20 sq mi (5.69 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 420 ft (128 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,560 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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6,463 |
| • Density | 3,173.95/sq mi (1,225.24/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code |
98036
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| Area code | 425 |
| FIPS code | 53-07940 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1512029 |
Brier is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is bordered by Mountlake Terrace to the west, Lynnwood to the north, Bothell to the east, and Lake Forest Park to the south. The population was 6,560 at the 2020 census.
History
Brier is located in the traditional territory of several Coast Salish peoples, including the Sammamish, Snohomish, and Suquamish. The area around modern-day Swamp Creek was known as dxʷɬ(ə)q̓ ab, meaning "other side of something" and "a wide place", in the Lushootseed language.
The first European-descendant settlers in the Brier area, the Salty family, arrived from Finland in 1883 and constructed a cabin to establish a Homestead Act claim. They were followed by loggers who cleared land that had already been sold to the founders of the Puget Mill Company. The first area school was built on land donated by the Salty family in September 1896 and later replaced with the Cedar Valley School in 1911. By 1915, much of the forestland around modern-day Brier was cleared.
The Brier area was known for its mink farms and later gave way to suburban ranch houses in the 1950s and 1960s. The Shasta Park subdivision was created in 1924 and further developed into smaller lots by the early 1950s. Brier was named for an existing road that bisected the subdivision where the community was developed in the 1950s.
Brier was officially incorporated as a city on February 11, 1965, after an emergency vote following a proposal from a developer to annex the area into neighboring Mountlake Terrace. The area was gradually developed into a suburban community, growing to over 6,000 people by 1999. Since its incorporation, several elected officials in Brier have been recalled or forced to resign over various misconduct allegations and convictions. A permanent city hall opened in April 2005, replacing a leased office.
Geography
Brier is located 15 miles (24 km) north of Seattle in southern Snohomish County, bordered to the south by Lake Forest Park in King County. The cities of Mountlake Terrace and Bothell lie to the west and east, respectively. The unincorporated area to the north is connected by Brier Road, which continues towards Lynnwood.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.13 square miles (5.52 km2), all of it land. The city has large lot sizes for residential homes, at a minimum of 12,500 square feet (1,160 m2) and is exclusively zoned for single-family homes.
Economy
Brier is described as a "one-store and one-restaurant town", with few businesses on its lone commercial strip.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1970 | 3,093 | — | |
| 1980 | 2,915 | −5.8% | |
| 1990 | 5,633 | 93.2% | |
| 2000 | 6,383 | 13.3% | |
| 2010 | 6,087 | −4.6% | |
| 2020 | 6,560 | 7.8% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 6,463 | 6.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Brier ranks 68th of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.
In the 2004 US presidential election, Brier cast 57.37% of its vote for Democrat John Kerry.
2010 census
As of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 6,087 people, 2,165 households, and 1,758 families living in the city. The population density was 2,857.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,103.4/km2). There were 2,220 housing units at an average density of 1,042.3 per square mile (402.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 84.9% White, 1.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 7.6% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 1.4% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population.
There were 2,165 households, of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 18.8% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.05.
The median age in the city was 44.4 years. 21.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 39.6% were from 45 to 64; and 9.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.1% male and 49.9% female.
Culture
The community holds an annual one-day event in August called SeaScare, a play on the name of Seattle's Seafair. The event includes a Porch Light Parade, contests, music and a screening of a classic movie, among other activities. It involves nautical themes, in keeping with its Seafair ties, and is supported by the small number of Brier businesses.
See also
In Spanish: Brier (Washington) para niños
