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SeaTac, Washington
Aerial view of SeaTac, featuring Angle Lake
Aerial view of SeaTac, featuring Angle Lake
Official seal of SeaTac, Washington
Seal
Location of SeaTac, Washington
Location of SeaTac, Washington
Country United States
State Washington
County King
Incorporated February 28, 1990
Government
 • Type Council–manager
Area
 • Total 10.24 sq mi (26.52 km2)
 • Land 10.06 sq mi (26.07 km2)
 • Water 0.17 sq mi (0.45 km2)
Elevation
262 ft (80 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 26,909
 • Estimate 
(2019)
29,044
 • Density 2,885.93/sq mi (1,114.23/km2)
Time zone UTC-8 (Pacific (PST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-7 (PDT)
ZIP Codes
98148, 98158, 98168, 98188, 98198
Area code(s) 206
FIPS code 53-62288
GNIS feature ID 1534053

SeaTac is a city in southern King County, Washington, United States. The city is an inner-ring suburb of Seattle and part of the Seattle metropolitan area. The name "SeaTac" is derived from the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, itself a portmanteau of Seattle and Tacoma.

The city of SeaTac is 10 square miles (26 km2) in area and has a population of 26,909 according to the 2010 census. The city boundaries surround the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport (approximately 3 square miles (7.8 km2) in area), which is owned and operated by the Port of Seattle. The city includes the communities of Angle Lake, Bow Lake, McMicken Heights and Riverton Heights, which were established before the city's incorporation. Residents voted for incorporation on March 14, 1989, and the city incorporated in February 1990.

History

In 2014 Gavin Kelly of The Resolution Foundation wrote that "A generation ago SeaTac was what Americans would call a middle-class town. A jet-fueller or baggage handler could earn a decent living."

Geography

SeaTac is located at 47°26′29″N 122°17′35″W / 47.44139°N 122.29306°W / 47.44139; -122.29306 (47.441406, -122.293077).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.21 square miles (26.44 km2), of which, 10.03 square miles (25.98 km2) is land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km2) is water.

Surrounding cities

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1980 17,961
1990 22,694 26.4%
2000 25,496 12.3%
2010 26,909 5.5%
2019 (est.) 29,044 7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census
2018 Estimate

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $41,202, and the median income for a family was $47,630. Males had a median income of $34,396 versus $28,984 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,717. About 9.8% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

SeaTac’s population has grown steadily since the 2000 Census, and is projected to grow 5.06% by 2022, a rate higher than the USA rate of 3.77%, but lower than King County’s 7.46%. SeaTac has considerable ethnic diversity. Only 51.76% of the age 5+ population reportedly spoke only English at home; some 13.90% spoke Spanish at home, considerably higher than King County’s 6.82%, but only somewhat higher than the USA’s overall 13.16%. Languages spoken at home also include those from Asia-Pacific at 10.74%, Indo-European languages at 10.06%, and other languages at 13.54%.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 26,909 people, 9,533 households, and 5,913 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,682.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,035.9/km2). There were 10,360 housing units at an average density of 1,032.9 per square mile (398.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 45.9% White (39.5% Non-Hispanic White), 16.8% African American, 1.5% Native American, 14.5% Asian, 3.6% Pacific Islander, 11.6% from other races, and 6.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.3% of the population.

There were 9,533 households, of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were married couples living together, 14.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.0% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.38.

The median age in the city was 34.5 years. 23.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 9.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.4% male and 47.6% female.

Parks and recreation

The city operates seven city parks and operates two community center facilities.

Angle Lake Park, a 10.5-acre (42,000 m2) park at Angle Lake, has a barbecue area, a boat launch, a fishing pier, playground equipment, an open recreation area, swimming facilities, a stage, toilet facilities, and a spray park. In the swimming area lifeguards are on duty during the summer months.

Bow Lake Park, a 4-acre (16,000 m2) park, consists of open space.

Des Moines Creek Trail Park, consisting of 9.6 acres (39,000 m2), has a paved trail for bicyclists and pedestrians; off-street parking spaces are located at the trail head.

The 37-acre (150,000 m2) Grandview Park, an off leash dog area, has open areas, benches, fencing, a kiosk, waste receptacles, "sani-cans," and trails.

The 2.5-acre (10,000 m2) McMicken Heights Park has an open area, playground equipment, and tennis courts.

The Neighborhood Park at SeaTac Community Center has a half court basketball court a skate park, playground equipment, a picnic area, a climbing boulder, and parking.

The 165-acre (0.67 km2) North SeaTac Park has the SeaTac Community Center, baseball, soccer (football), and softball fields, a disk golf course, an outdoor basketball court, an open area, playground equipment, a picnic shelter, toilet facilities, BMX track and paved walking trails.

The 18-acre (73,000 m2) Sunset Park has baseball/softball fields, soccer fields, tennis courts, toilet facilities, and paved walking trails.

The 21-acre (85,000 m2) Valley Ridge Park has baseball/softball fields with synthetic turf, outdoor basketball courts, a community center, a hockey court, playground equipment, a skate park, soccer fields with synthetic turf, tennis courts, toilet facilities.

Transportation

SeaTac is served by three major highways: State Route 99 (International Boulevard), State Route 518, and the Airport Expressway. Portions of Interstate 5 and State Route 509 also lie within the city limits.

Airports

The city is served by the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, located within city limits.

Public transportation

The city is also served by several public transportation services: Link light rail stops at two stations in the city, at SeaTac/Airport station and Angle Lake station; King County Metro operates several bus routes in the area, including the RapidRide A Line on International Boulevard and RapidRide F Line on Southcenter Boulevard; some Sound Transit Express regional bus routes terminate or serve the SeaTac area, primarily the airport and other transit hubs.

Economy

Horizon Air 44539
Horizon Air headquarters

The city is home to over 900 licensed businesses, nearly 80 of which are Fortune 1000 companies. They employ nearly 40,000 employees in the city of SeaTac and generate local sales of approximately $3.7 billion.

Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are headquartered in the city. Four airlines have operations at 18000 Pacific Highway South (also known as 18000 International Boulevard) in the city, including Asiana Airlines, EVA Air, Hainan Airlines, and China Airlines.

Economic development

SeaTac's Department of Community and Economic Development was formed in early 2011 to create a one-stop permitting center, increase the level of service and assist in the facilitation of economic development by creating a more cohesive approach to real estate development and job creation. The new department has four divisions: Economic Development, Planning, Engineering Review, and Building Services. In 2013, the City of SeaTac Proposition No. 1 passed with 50.64% of the vote to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Tyee Educational Complex
Tyee Educational Complex

Highline Public Schools operates the city's public schools.

Elementary schools serving sections of the city include Bow Lake Elementary School in SeaTac, Madrona Elementary School in SeaTac, McMicken Heights Elementary School in SeaTac, and Cedarhurst Elementary School in Burien. Most residents are zoned to Chinook Middle School and Tyee Educational Complex in the city, while some are zoned to Sylvester Middle School and Highline High School in Burien. With the opening of Glacier Middle School in north SeaTac, residents north of the airport are generally zoned there and subsequently to Highline High School given the proximity of that area to Burien.

Tyee Educational Complex housing three independent schools: The Academy of Citizenship and Empowerment, and Odyssey: The Essential School. It then has been transformed back to Tyee High School - a single school in the 2017–18 school year.

In 2004, Highline Public Schools reorganized some of its high schools, including Tyee, into having smaller programs on larger campuses.

Public libraries

The King County Library System operates the Valley View Library in SeaTac.

Notable people

  • Mark Driscoll, evangelical pastor
  • Mia Gregerson, member of the Washington House of Representatives
  • Tally Hall, soccer player
  • Julia Patterson, former member of the Washington State Legislature and King County Council
  • Adam Smith, member of the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Doug Sutherland, former mayor of Tacoma and Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: SeaTac para niños

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