Sammamish, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sammamish, Washington
City
Big Rock Park North in Sammamish
Seal
Location of Sammamish in Washington
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	King
Incorporated	August 31, 1999
Government
• Type	Council–manager
Area
• Total	24.04 sq mi (62.26 km2)
• Land	20.43 sq mi (52.91 km2)
• Water	3.61 sq mi (9.34 km2)
Elevation	59 ft (18 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	67,455
• Estimate  (2023)	65,116
• Rank	US: 593rd WA: 19th
• Density	3,188.28/sq mi (1,231.01/km2)
Time zone	UTC–8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC–7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes	98029, 98074, 98075
Area code(s)	425
FIPS code	53-61115
GNIS feature ID	1508071

Sammamish (say "sə-MAM-ish") is a city in King County, Washington, United States. In 2020, about 67,455 people lived there. The city is on a high flat area called a plateau. It is next to Lake Sammamish on the west and the Snoqualmie Valley on the east.

Sammamish is about 20 miles east of Seattle. It is part of a larger area called the Eastside and the Seattle metropolitan area. Sammamish became a city in 1999. It is known as a wealthy community and is one of the richest cities in Washington.

What Does the Name Sammamish Mean?

The name Sammamish comes from the Snoqualmie language. It combines "squax," which means Sammamish Lake, and "abs," a word for people from a certain area. So, Sammamish roughly means "people of Lake Sammamish."

A Brief History of Sammamish

For a very long time, the Sammamish Plateau and Lake Sammamish were home to several Native American tribes. These included the Duwamish, Suquamish, Snoqualmie, Sammamish, and Snohomish people. They lived in villages along the lake's coast.

The first European settlers arrived in the 1870s. By the 1930s, they had built three resorts. For many years, the plateau was mostly a rural area with farms and open land. In the 1970s and 1980s, more homes, shops, and schools were built.

In 1991, people voted against joining the nearby city of Issaquah. A year later, they also voted against becoming their own city. However, people became frustrated with how the county government was managing new buildings. So, in 1998, a new effort to become a city was approved by voters. Sammamish officially became a city on August 31, 1999. In 2016, the area called Klahanie also became part of Sammamish.

In 2008, the city planned to build a denser town center. This area would have different types of buildings, like homes and shops, closer together. Some buildings were finished, but the biggest parts of the plan were delayed until the 2020s. In 2024, construction started on new townhomes. More apartments and shops are planned for the future.

Geography and Natural Features

Sammamish covers about 24.04 square miles (62.26 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 3.61 square miles (9.34 square kilometers) are water.

The city is located on the eastern side of Lake Sammamish. It has many hills. To the south, it borders Issaquah. To the northwest, it borders Redmond. Across Lake Sammamish to the west is Bellevue. The two largest lakes within Sammamish are Beaver Lake and Pine Lake. Yellow Lake is another important lake in the Klahanie area.

Sammamish is also near the Issaquah Alps. These are hills that are part of the Cascade mountains.

Sammamish in late April, from Lake Sammamish State Park.

What is the Climate Like in Sammamish?

Sammamish has a climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. This is similar to a Mediterranean climate. Summers are much drier here than on the coast of Washington. This is because of the rain shadow effect from the Olympic Mountains.

The wettest months are November, December, and January. The driest months are July and August. Snowfall is not very common. Very cold temperatures usually happen when the sky is clear. Temperatures have ranged from -8°F (-22°C) in 1950 to 113°F (45°C) in June 2021.

How is Sammamish Addressing Climate Change?

Scientists predict that Sammamish will get warmer by 3-12°F (2-7°C) before the year 2100. This will happen no matter how much pollution is released. This warming will mean less snow, hotter and drier summers, and more extreme weather events in the warm season.

Sammamish has a plan to deal with climate change. This plan includes:

• Planting new trees and encouraging people to plant more.
• Protecting animals and plants that are in danger.
• Protecting native fish like Chinook salmon and the streams and lakes they live in.
• Managing areas that flood easily.
• Protecting wetlands, which are important natural areas.
• Reducing air pollution.
• Reducing light and noise pollution.
• Controlling the use of harmful chemicals like pesticides.

These actions help protect the environment and prepare for future climate changes.

Population and People of Sammamish

In 2023, there were about 21,792 homes in Sammamish. Each home had about 2.98 people on average. The average income for a household was $238,750. The income per person was $103,748. Only about 2.9% of the city's people lived below the poverty line.

About 66.7% of people in Sammamish have jobs. A large number, 83.4%, have a college degree or higher. Almost everyone, 97.8%, has a high school diploma. In 2022, Sammamish had the highest median household income among U.S. cities with over 65,000 people.

People in Sammamish come from many different backgrounds. The top reported ancestries include English, Spanish, Indo-European, and Asian and Pacific Islander. The average age of people in the city was 41.3 years old.

Sammamish has often been named one of the "Best Places to Live" in the United States. CNN Money ranked it 11th in 2007, 12th in 2009, and 15th in 2011. In 2018, Money.com ranked it as the 9th Best Place to Live.

What Was the Population in 2020?

In 2020, Sammamish had 67,455 people. There were 21,895 households and 18,861 families. The city had about 3303 people per square mile (1275 per square kilometer).

The racial makeup of the city was:

• 52.61% White
• 1.28% African American
• 0.21% Native American
• 35.82% Asian
• 0.10% Pacific Islander
• 1.44% from other races
• 8.54% from two or more races.

People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 5.36% of the population. About 29.4% of residents were under 18 years old. About 6.1% were under 5 years old. About 51.1% were 65 years or older. The population was 51.1% female.

Parks and Recreation in Sammamish

Sammamish has ten city parks. These include Beaver Lake Park, Big Rock Park North, and Pine Lake Park. Soaring Eagle Regional Park and Duthie Hill Park are also very close to the city.

The East Lake Sammamish Trail runs along the eastern side of Lake Sammamish. This trail connects to other regional trails. For example, it links to the Sammamish River Trail in the north. It also connects to the Issaquah-Preston Trail in the south.

East Sammamish Park became part of the city when it was formed in 1999.

Education Opportunities

Sammamish has public schools served by two main school districts.

In North Sammamish, schools are part of the Lake Washington School District. There are two high schools: Eastlake and Tesla STEM. There are also two middle schools and five elementary schools.

In South Sammamish, schools are part of the Issaquah School District. This area has two high schools: Issaquah and Skyline. It also has three middle schools and seven elementary schools.

A very small part of eastern Sammamish is in the Snoqualmie Valley School District.

Eastside Catholic School is a private school located in the city. Central Washington University, a public university, opened a location in Sammamish on September 20, 2017.

Transportation and Getting Around

Sammamish has three main roads that run north and south. These are East Lake Sammamish Parkway, 228th Avenue, and 244th Avenue. These roads connect to State Route 202 in the north, which leads to Redmond. They also connect to Interstate 90 in the south, near Issaquah.

Bus service is provided by King County Metro and Sound Transit Express. These buses connect Sammamish to Redmond, Issaquah, and Downtown Seattle. The South Sammamish Park and Ride is a place where people can park their cars and take the bus. It has 265 parking spots. Bus services to the Sammamish Plateau started in 1993.

In 2023, King County finished building an 11-mile (18 km) bike trail on the east side of Lake Sammamish. This trail replaced an old railway line. Construction began in 1998.

Famous People from Sammamish

• Hunter Bryant, a professional American football player
• Blake Hawksworth, a professional baseball player
• Kim Schrier, a U.S. congresswoman
• Matisse Thybulle, a professional basketball player
• Surf Mesa, a musician
• Simone Rose, a professional artistic gymnast

Images for kids

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  Location of Sammamish in Washington

See also

In Spanish: Sammamish (Washington) para niños