Demographics

:: OCCUPATIONAL BREAKDOWN :: EMPLOYMENT :: GEOGRAPHICAL INFO ::
:: CLIMATE :: TAX STRUCTURE :: COST OF LIVING :: INFRASTRUCTURE :: SHOPPING CENTERS ::

The Gig Harbor Peninsula is a progressive business community built in a quality of life environment. Nestled in the heart of Puget Sound, the Gig Harbor Peninsula is

• 10 miles from Interstate 5
• 55 miles from Seattle
• 45 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
• 10 miles from the Tacoma Narrows Airport
• 45 miles from Olympia
• 30 miles from Bremerton

The Gig Harbor Peninsula country atmosphere, development style and proximity to major industrial, commercial and military centers makes this area an ideal place to live, work and play. Where else can your office be located 10 minutes from a golf course, marina or your home?

All types of businesses benefit from this quality of life environment. The City of Gig Harbor and the Chamber of Commerce work actively with new and existing businesses.

• Corporate administrative offices
• Professional association headquarters
• High tech and electronics businesses
• Research and development centers
• Retail, wholesale, educational, business and professional
• Recreation and maritime businesses
• Light manufacturing
• Other businesses compatible with the Gig Harbor Peninsula quality of life
(www.gigharborchamber.com)
(www.pcedc.com)

Occupational Breakdown, based on 2000 census

Management, professional and related occupations 38.0
Service occupations 14.9
Sales and office occupations 26.7
Farming, fishing and forestry occupations 1.6
Construction, extraction and maintenance occupations 6.9
Production, transportation and material moving 11.9
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 2.9
Manufacturing 8.4
Government workers (local, state or federal) 15.9

Employers with 100 employees or more

Correctional Women’s Department
Canterwood Golf and Country Club
Century Tel
Cottesmore of Life Care
Fred Meyer
Gig Harbor High School
Gig Harbor Medical Clinic
Manor Care Health Services
Medalia Healthcare
Metagenics
Multicare Urgent Care Center
Peninsula High School
QFC Quality Food Center
Safeway
YMCA Camp Seymour

Employers with 50 employees or more

Active Construction
Artondale Elementary School
Gig Harbor City
Gig Harbor Ford
Goodman Middle School
Harbor Heights elementary school
Harbor Ridge Middle School
Heritage Restaurant
Inn at Gig Harbor
Keller Williams Realty
Kopachuck Middle School
McDonalds
Minterbrook Oyster Co
Olympic Pharmacy and Health Services
Peninsula Light Co
Pierce County fire Dept
Point of Dale Data Products
Purdy Elementary School
Tacoma Community College
Thriftway
Transpro
Wade Perrow Construction Inc
Windermere Real Estate

Geographical Information

• Area: 112 square miles
• Shoreline: 121 miles
• City limits: 14 square miles
• Urban growth area: 3,808 acres

Climate

The Cascade Mountains rim the east of the Puget Sound region and the Olympic Mountains rim the west, providing a local weather system. It creates a moderate climate, with lovely summers, Indian summers and only occasional snow in winter. Average days below freezing are only 32 while only two days average more than 90 degrees. The growing seasons ranges from 145-228 days. Gig Harbor averages less rainfall than New York City.

• Average annual rainfall: 37 inches per year
• Average winter temperature: 40-50 degrees (F)
• Average spring temperature: 55-65 degrees (F)
• Average summer temperature: 70-80 degrees (F)
• Average fall temperature: 55-65 degrees (F)
• Coldest month: January
• Warmest month: August
• 75% of precipitation occurs between October and March.

Shopping Centers

Gig Harbor originally was served by the “Mosquito Fleet” of small boats traveling from Tacoma to various wharves in the area, supplying the communities and later the neighborhood grocery stores. While those neighborhood groceries still operate in Rosedale, Arletta, Pt Fosdick, Home, Key Center, Purdy, and Olalla, major shopping centers also have taken their place in Gig Harbor.

Downtown Gig Harbor offers a supermarket and smaller grocery store, as well as boutique and speciality clothing, food and gift shops. This is where numerous art galleries and restaurants are located along with marine and hardware supplies.

Three major supermarkets operate in the shopping centers surrounding Highway 16’s Olympic Interchange access to Gig Harbor. Additionally large pharmacies, hardware, banks, sporting goods, real estate brokerages hold down major square footage.

Harbor Plaza

Anchor tenants: Supermarket, hardware, national drugstore, liquor store, restaurants, and banks
Minor tenants: Numerous fast food, coffee shops, jewelry, gifts, office supplies and other specialty shops.

Safeway Center

Anchor tenants: Supermarket, sporting goods, restaurant, bank
Minor tenants: Specialty shops

Olympic Village

Anchor tenants: Supermarket, bank, fast food, restaurants, and national drugstore
Minor tenants: Video, numerous fast food, camera shop, specialty stores

A relatively new shopping complex is developing on the north side of Gig Harbor off Highway 16, which is zoned to include many of the larger stores:

• Target

• Home Depot

• Office Depot

• Pier 1

• Other tenants: supermarket, banks, coffee shops, video, numerous fast food and other specialty stores. This area is also planned for a large “big box” store for the future.
   

Tax Structure

• Property Taxes
Real property taxes are used to fund local schools, fire district and library district. For current tax rates contact the Pierce County Assessor. (253.798.6111)
• City of Gig Harbor
Property taxes are administered through Pierce County.
Utility tax: 5%
(www.cityofgigharbor.net)
• State of Washington
Sales tax: 8.4% to 8.6% (for most items, including city, county and state, not on food)
There is no state income tax.
State Business and Occupation Tax .0011-.025%

Cost of Living

Pierce County is 103.3% compared to National Average of 100%

Infrastructure

• Sewer
Sewage disposal service is provided within the city of Gig Harbor and to a modest number of accounts outside its city limits. Outside of the city of Gig Harbor, most of the service area utilizes septic drainfields for permanent sewage disposal. (www.cityofgigharbor.net)

• Water
As of 2001, the Gig Harbor Peninsula had 92 small water systems, having either 15 or more connections. 44 separate water purveyors are responsible for operating these systems. The three largest purveyors on the Peninsula are Washington Water Service Company, City of Gig Harbor Water Department, and Rainier View Water Company. Peninsula Light also provides water service to some of its customers. http://penlight.org/

• Communications
Telephone and ISP: CenturyTel (www.centurytel.com)
ISP: HarborNet (www.harbornet.com)

• Electric
Electric power is supplied primarily by Peninsula Light company http://www.penlight.org/. Peninsula Light Co serves approximately 26,000 members in a 107-square mile area of Pierce County west of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The service area includes Key Peninsula, Gig Harbor Peninsula, Fox Island, Tanglewood Island, Raft Island and Herron Island.

• Gas
As of October 2000, Puget Sound Energy had a total of 6817 natural gas customers in the Gig Harbor Peninsula area, with recent steady annual growth of 5.8%. Propane gas is used on all the islands in the area, as well as Key Peninsula (www.pse.com)

• Cable TV
ATT Cable