Gig Harbor, Washington
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Gig_Harbor_Washington_Boats_1.jpg
Gig Harbor Marina
Gig Harbor is a city located in Pierce County, Washington. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 6,465.
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History
Gig Harbor was first discovered and named by Captain Charles Wilkes. During a heavy storm, the captain brought his gig (small boat) into the harbor for protection. Later, Captain Wilkes named the sheltered bay Gig Harbor.
1867 brought fisherman Samuel Jerisich to the Gig Harbor area, along with many other immigrants from Sweden, Norway, and Croatia.
Commercial fishing and boat building dominated the economy until the building of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The increased accessibility that the bridge provided increased both the number of people living in the town and the diversity of the community. It is now considered a developing wealthy suburb of the neighboring Tacoma.
Gig Harbor was officially incorporated on July 12, 1946.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.3 km² (4.4 mi²). 11.3 km² (4.3 mi²) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water.
See also Raft Island and Puget Sound.
Education
There is a very strong and positive educational system that has great community support. The Peninsula School District (http://www.psd401.net/) is seen as a staple in education in the state of Washington, boasting some of the highest scores annually on the WASL.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 6,465 people, 2,880 households, and 1,765 families residing in the city. The population density is 573.8/km² (1,485.2/mi²). There are 3,085 housing units at an average density of 273.8/km² (708.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 94.17% White, 1.11% African American, 0.63% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.22% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. 3.03% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 2,880 households out of which 25.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% are married couples living together, 9.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% are non-families. 33.2% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.16 and the average family size is 2.75.
In the city the population is spread out with 20.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 45 years. For every 100 females there are 83.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 78.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $43,456, and the median income for a family is $57,587. Males have a median income of $46,250 versus $28,487 for females. The per capita income for the city is $28,318. 5.9% of the population and 3.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.8% of those under the age of 18 and 4.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Gig Harbor City Chamber of Commerce (http://www.gigharborchamber.com/)
- Gig Harbor City Information (http://www.cityofgigharbor.net/)