Maple Valley, Washington

Maple Valley, Washington
City
Lake Wilderness in Maple Valley
Logo
Location of Maple Valley within King County and Washington state
Coordinates: 47°23′34″N122°02′47″W / 47.39278°N 122.04639°W / 47.39278; -122.04639
Country	United States
State	Washington
County	King
Settled	1879
Incorporated	August 31, 1997
Government [1]
• Type	Council–manager
•  Mayor	Sean P. Kelly
•  Deputy mayor	Dana Parnello
•  City Council	Didem Pierson Les Burberry Victoria Schroff Syd Dawson John Herbert
Area [2]
• Total	6.18 sq mi (16.02 km2)
• Land	6.00 sq mi (15.55 km2)
• Water	0.18 sq mi (0.47 km2)
Elevation [3]	420 ft (128 m)
Population  (2020) [4]
• Total	28,013
• Estimate  (2023) [5]	28,434
• Density	4,734/sq mi (1,828/km2)
Time zone	UTC–8 (Pacific (PST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC–7 (PDT)
ZIP Code	98038
Area code	425
FIPS code	53-43150
GNIS feature ID	1506457 [3]
Website	maplevalleywa.gov

Maple Valley is a city in King County, Washington United States. The population was 28,013 at the 2020 census. ^[4] The city functions as a commuter town for residents, though there is an increasing amount of commercial activity in the area.

History

The area was settled in 1879 by three men who were improving a trail and brought their families in. When a name for a future community was proposed, the names Vine Maple Valley and Maple Ridge were suggested. A vote was taken by writing the names on slips of paper and placing them in a hat. Vine Maple Valley won by 2/3, but the word "Vine" was later cut by the post office because it made the name too long. ^[6]

The town's early history mainly had to do with coal, lumber milling to build homes, and a railroad that ran through town. Coal was brought in from Black Diamond to the south, but the town itself also mined coal from Cedar Mountain. The mine was used as late as 1947. Rail workers for lines like the Northern Pacific Railroad and the Cedar River Watershed, closed off by the City of Seattle, meant more workers for those things. More residents meant more lumber milling. More lumber milling meant more workers. Suquamish tribe chairperson Martha George was born near Maple Valley in Sheridan in 1892, at a logging camp where her mother and grandmother worked as cooks. ^[7]

The town grew inward. Blacksmith shops, hotels, saloons and stores took up the town in the 1910s and 1920s. Schools went up as well. Early schools were shacks at best. A two-room school went up in 1910, and a larger high school was built in 1929 as the first school in the Tahoma School District. ^[8] The school, after extensive renovations, still stands today as an elementary school. Much of this early development actually did not take place in the modern-day city, but rather in Hobart, northeast of incorporated Maple Valley.

More residents meant farming and fishing became staples in the area, with milk, poultry and berry farming becoming the main grown food staples in the area. Fishing out of the Cedar River also became popular. Maple Valley also saw resorts beginning in the 1920s. Lake Wilderness, once the site of a county lumber mill, quickly became a resort lake with the opening of Gaffney's Grove, which opened with a ballroom, restaurant and roller rink. Later, the resort grew to include an airstrip, lodge, rental cabins, a nine-hole golf course and a bowling alley. It remained in operation until 1964. ^[9]

Increasing automobile use in the area gave rise to new roads being built. In the early 1960s, the construction of State Route 18 between Auburn and North Bend ran through the city, requiring many landmarks to be either demolished or moved. ^[6] The Maple Valley Historical Society keeps records on the city's past, with two historical museums holding artifacts such as the city's first fire engine and photographs of old places in and around the city like Gaffney's Grove.^{[ citation needed ]}

Incorporation and recent development

The city of Maple Valley was officially incorporated on August 31, 1997. The Green to Cedar River trail runs through the city, along SR 169 and Witte Road while passing through the former Gaffney's Grove site, now the Lake Wilderness City Park. The park includes a swimming beach and sprawling grass fields, and sees the annual Maple Valley Days Parade each year in June. The Lake Wilderness Arboretum is also located here.^{[ citation needed ]}

Due to the urban growth boundaries of King County, the city is uniquely split into different sectors along Maple Valley Black Diamond Road (SR 169), the main thoroughfare through the city. At the northern and southern boundaries of the city lie two large commercial areas, while central Maple Valley is predominantly residential. ^[10]

The south side's Four Corners district is the main commercial area of the city. It is located along Maple Valley Black Diamond Road and is bisected by Kent Kangley Road (SR 516) to create four distinct areas of development. ^[11] The northwestern corner underwent massive reconstruction in the early 2010s and now features several large retailers, apartments, and a strip mall. ^[12] The northeastern corner was completely constructed in the 2010s; it formerly was a large lumberyard and is now home to several retailers. ^[13] The southern corners feature strip malls, retailers, an apartment complex, and a housing development.

Geography

Maple Valley is located at 47°23′34″N122°02′47″W / 47.39278°N 122.04639°W / 47.39278; -122.04639 (47.392716, -122.046409). ^[3] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.18 square miles (16.01 km²), of which, 6.00 square miles (15.54 km²) is land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km²) is water. ^[2] The main bodies of water in the city limits are Lake Wilderness, Lake Lucerne, Rock Creek, and part of Pipe Lake. The Cedar River passes through unincorporated King County very near the northeastern border of the city. The city is bordered by Hobart, Fairwood, and Ravensdale, two unincorporated King County census-designated places, along with the cities of Covington, Renton, Kent, and Black Diamond.

Climate

Maple Valley's climate is classified under the Köppen system as mediterranean or maritime.^{[ citation needed ]} It generally has cooler nights and more precipitation than Seattle year round. Winter days are also slightly colder than areas closer to downtown Seattle.^{[ citation needed ]}

Climate data for Landsburg, Washington, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1915–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	68 (20)	74 (23)	84 (29)	89 (32)	102 (39)	112 (44)	101 (38)	102 (39)	97 (36)	88 (31)	76 (24)	72 (22)	112 (44)
Mean maximum °F (°C)	55.9 (13.3)	58.9 (14.9)	66.8 (19.3)	75.3 (24.1)	83.8 (28.8)	86.8 (30.4)	92.1 (33.4)	90.9 (32.7)	84.8 (29.3)	72.1 (22.3)	59.6 (15.3)	53.8 (12.1)	95.3 (35.2)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	45.7 (7.6)	48.9 (9.4)	53.3 (11.8)	58.6 (14.8)	65.9 (18.8)	70.3 (21.3)	77.0 (25.0)	77.3 (25.2)	70.6 (21.4)	59.5 (15.3)	49.9 (9.9)	44.5 (6.9)	60.1 (15.6)
Daily mean °F (°C)	39.3 (4.1)	40.9 (4.9)	44.0 (6.7)	48.5 (9.2)	54.9 (12.7)	59.2 (15.1)	64.2 (17.9)	64.4 (18.0)	58.8 (14.9)	50.3 (10.2)	42.8 (6.0)	38.4 (3.6)	50.5 (10.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	33.0 (0.6)	32.8 (0.4)	34.7 (1.5)	38.5 (3.6)	43.9 (6.6)	48.2 (9.0)	51.4 (10.8)	51.5 (10.8)	46.9 (8.3)	41.2 (5.1)	35.7 (2.1)	32.3 (0.2)	40.8 (4.9)
Mean minimum °F (°C)	22.1 (−5.5)	22.7 (−5.2)	25.7 (−3.5)	29.3 (−1.5)	34.1 (1.2)	39.9 (4.4)	43.0 (6.1)	43.0 (6.1)	37.9 (3.3)	29.8 (−1.2)	24.7 (−4.1)	20.8 (−6.2)	17.0 (−8.3)
Record low °F (°C)	1 (−17)	0 (−18)	12 (−11)	23 (−5)	25 (−4)	31 (−1)	33 (1)	29 (−2)	28 (−2)	17 (−8)	4 (−16)	0 (−18)	0 (−18)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	7.99 (203)	5.44 (138)	6.19 (157)	5.55 (141)	3.87 (98)	3.15 (80)	1.29 (33)	1.64 (42)	2.83 (72)	5.76 (146)	8.51 (216)	7.46 (189)	59.68 (1,515)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 inch)	19.9	17.5	20.1	18.6	15.0	12.4	6.8	6.6	10.0	16.9	21.0	20.8	185.6
Source 1: NOAA [14]
Source 2: National Weather Service [15]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1990	1,211		—
2000	14,209		1,073.3%
2010	22,684		59.6%
2020	28,013		23.5%
2023 (est.)	28,434	[5]	1.5%
U.S. Decennial Census [16] 2020 Census [4]

Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Maple Valley ranks 93rd of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.

The city is one of the fastest growing market areas in Washington State. From 2000 – 2010 the City grew nearly 63% - the 17th fastest growing city in the State during that period. The population according to the 2020 census is 28,013, with an estimated trade area population of 65,000-94,000. The city currently ranks #41 out of 281 municipalities in the State for population.

A high percentage of residents are college educated, approximately 75% of adults have post-secondary education. In addition, the median income in Maple Valley is $117,706 (2020 US Census) per household. High household earnings and comparatively low cost of housing provide Maple Valley residents, on average, with more disposable income. ^[17]

2020 census

Maple Valley, Washington – Racial Composition ^[18]
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	19,818	70.7%
Black or African American (NH)	741	2.6%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	125	0.4%
Asian (NH)	2,469	8.8%
Pacific Islander (NH)	79	0.3%
Some Other Race (NH)	117	0.4%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	2,418	8.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2,246	8.0%
Total	28,013	100.0%

As of the 2020 census, there were 28,013 people, 9,218 households, 7,421 families residing in the city. ^[19] The population density was 4,665.7 inhabitants per square mile (1,801.4/km²). There were 9,435 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 72.7% (20,353) White, 2.7% (751) African American, 0.6% (159) Native American, 8.9% (2,500) Asian, 0.3% (91) Pacific Islander, 2.6% (715) from some other races and 12.3% (3,444) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.0% (2,246) of the population. ^[20]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 22,684 people, 7,679 households, and 6,159 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,965.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,531.1/km²). There were 7,997 housing units at an average density of 1,398.1 per square mile (539.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.8% White, 2.1% African American, 0.5% Native American, 4.5% Asian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 1.7% from other races, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.7% of the population.

There were 7,679 households, of which 49.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.1% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 19.8% were non-families. 15.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.30.

The median age in the city was 34.2 years. 32.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.8% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 6.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 14,209 people, 4,809 households, and 3,952 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,617.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,010.3/km²). There were 4,922 housing units at an average density of 350.0 units/km² (906.8 units/mi²). The ethnic makeup of the city was 90.62% White, 1.11% African American, 0.66% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 3.64% from two or more ethnic groups. Hispanic or Latino of any ethnic group were 3.56% of the population.

There were 4,809 households, out of which 51.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.8% were non-families. 13.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.26.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.8% under the age of 18, 5.4% between 19 and 24, 38.5% between 25 and 44, 17.8% between 45 and 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $67,159, and the median income for a family was $70,008. Males had a median income of $50,623 versus $34,097 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,859. About 2.1% of families and 2.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 and over.

Education

The entirety of Maple Valley is served by the Tahoma School District. There is one high school, two middle schools, and six elementary schools. The district operates its transportation facility adjacent to SR 18 on Petrovitsky near the city limits. The Central Services building is located next to Rock Creek Elementary School. ^[21]

The Tahoma School District at one point had its high school in neighboring Covington. In 2015, a bond measure was passed to build a new and more centralized high school for the district. It was to be built in a small unincorporated area southeast of Four Corners that was completely surrounded by Maple Valley, known informally as the ‘Donut Hole’. ^[22] The area was annexed into Maple Valley and the new three-story Tahoma High School was completed in 2017. ^[23]

Most of the district's schools are located within the city, with a few exceptions: ^[24]

• Tahoma High School (Maple Valley)
• Maple View Middle School (Covington)
• Summit Trail Middle School (Ravensdale)
• Glacier Park Elementary School (Maple Valley)
• Rock Creek Elementary School (Maple Valley)
• Shadow Lake Elementary School (Maple Valley)
• Cedar River Elementary School (Maple Valley)
• Lake Wilderness Elementary School (Maple Valley)
• Tahoma Elementary School (Hobart)

Government and politics

Presidential election results ^[25]

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	40.0%	56.3%	3.7%
2016	21.1%	70.0%	8.9%
2012	28.9%	68.8%	2.3%
2008	28.2%	70.3%	1.5%
2000	34.4%	60.1%	5.5%
1996	31.4%	56.4%	2.2%

Maple Valley City Council

The City Council is made up of seven councillors elected by local residents.

According to the city's website, "the Council establishes policy direction for the City, enacts ordinances and resolutions, maintains relationships and contact in local, state, regional and national associations, and generally provides leadership for the City and direction to the City Manager." ^[26]

Maple Valley City Councillors

Councillor	Position	First elected	Term expires
Sean P. Kelly (Mayor)	1	December 2011	December 2027
Dana Parnello (Deputy Mayor)	6	November 2015	December 2025
Didem Pierson	2	March 2022	December 2027
Victoria Schroff	4	January 2022	December 2025
John Herbert	7	January 2024	December 2027
Les Burberry	3	November 2015	December 2027
Syd Dawson	5	May 2018	December 2027

Police

Maple Valley is a contract city with the King County Sheriff's Office for police services. The King County deputies that are assigned to the city wear city uniforms and patches, but wear a King County Sheriff badge. The deputies mostly drive marked patrol cars with the city logo. ^[27]

Points of interest

• Cedar River
• Cedar River Trail
• Lake Wilderness
• Lake Wilderness Lodge
• Lake Wilderness Arboretum
• Walsh Lake

Notable people

• Darby Allin, professional wrestler ^[28]
• Brandi Carlile, singer-songwriter
• Zan Fiskum, singer and reality show competitor
• Omare Lowe, former NFL player
• Jens Pulver, UFC fighter and coach
• Richard Sherman, NFL cornerback formerly of the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers ^{[29] [30]}
• Johnny Valentine, 2006 inductee in the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

References

1. "City Council". City of Maple Valley. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
2. "2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Maple Valley, Washington
4. "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved August 28, 2023.
5. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2023". United States Census Bureau. August 23, 2024. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
6. Stein, Alan J. (November 23, 1999). "Maple Valley — Thumbnail History". HistoryLink . Retrieved May 14, 2019.
7. "Notable Native American Women" . Retrieved April 20, 2013.
8. "District Overview Home Page". Archived from the original on October 11, 2013.
9. "History of the Lake Wilderness Lodge". The City of Maple Valley, Washington. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
10. "Urban Growth Areas for King County". King County GIS Center. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
11. Angel, Kayse (August 11, 2017). "Construction projects update in Maple Valley". Covington-Maple Valley Reporter. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
12. "Maple Valley retail center expanding". Sierra Construction.
13. "Maple Valley Town Center Redevelopment" . Retrieved May 14, 2019.
14. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Landsburg, WA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
15. "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Seattle". National Weather Service. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
16. "Census of Population and Housing". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
17. "About Maple Valley". City of Maple Valley. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
18. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Maple Valley city, Washington".
19. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: Household Type". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
20. "How many people live in Maple Valley city, Washington". USA Today. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
21. "Contact Information".
22. Smith, Katherine (August 21, 2013). "Crunching the Tahoma school bond numbers". Covington-Maple Valley Reporter. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
23. "Groundbreaking set for June 5 | Tahoma High School". Covington-Maple Valley Reporter. April 17, 2015. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
24. "Schools". www.tahomasd.us. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
25. "Past elections - King County".
26. "City Council | Maple Valley WA". www.maplevalleywa.gov. Retrieved December 7, 2020.
27. "Maple Valley Police Department". City of Maple Valley. Retrieved May 14, 2019.
28. Garrett, Shawn (January 2, 2023). "'It's come full circle': Local wrestlers make Seattle debut at Climate Pledge Arena". KIRO 7 News. Retrieved February 21, 2024.
29. "Report: Seahawks' Richard Sherman buys Jamal Crawford's Maple Valley house". Seattle Sports. June 11, 2014. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
30. "Former Seahawk Richard Sherman kick-starts Maple Valley Food Bank resupply". king5.com. November 19, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2022.

External links

• City of Maple Valley – Official Website
• History of Maple Valley