Living in DuPont, WA
I’ve been a DuPont resident for twelve years, but it’s taken me this long to put together any usable knowledge of the area. It’s ridiculous. I’ll talk anyone’s ear off about all the great things to do and see and all the benefits of living in DuPont and the PNW, but something about sitting down to write a blog and record some videos just seems overwhelming. After all, there’s SO much that I can share about the area that I think I struggled to know where to start. This one blog won’t solve that, but it’s a start. Let me introduce you to my hometown.
how we got here
My family and I arrived in the PNW during a military PCS to JBLM, and we quickly realized that this was our forever home. I think we’d been here about a week when I called Eric and told him that I really hoped the Army never sent him far away because I was never leaving. I meant it. Since then, Eric has gone to Korea twice while the kids and I stayed cozy at home (we did visit him, at least).
location
DuPont is nestled between the Puget Sound and Joint Base Lewis McChord, about halfway between Tacoma and Olympia. It’s proximity to JBLM makes it a popular choice for Army and Air Force personnel (and the occasional Coast Guard), and its quick access to I-5 makes it popular with people commuting to Tacoma, Olympia, and beyond.
The city boasts miles and miles of trails, gorgeous parks, an undeveloped coastline, an award winning golf course, and a thriving parks and recs department. On top of that, by car, it’s 20 minutes from Olympia, 25 from Tacoma, 45 minutes from Seattle, surrounded by bodies of water, and about 90-120 minutes from mountain passes and ocean playgrounds. It’s a fantastic place to call home! The location makes it convenient to live and work and easy to explore the broader region to take advantage of all kinds of activities.
basic stats - real basic
DuPont is home to just over 10,000 residents and is comprised of three distinct areas: Historic Village, Northwest Landing, and El Rancho Madrona Village. The three main parts of town aren’t directly accessible to each other by car (long story, kinda quirky….tell you later), but it’s a quick jaunt from one to the other. All three are accessed from I-5 with Historic Village off of Exit 119, Northwest Landing off of Exit 118, and El Rancho Madrona off of Exit 116.
As the name suggest, Historic Village came first with 57 residential sites. Built in 1906 to house employees working in the DuPont explosive manufacturing plant, homes in the village range in age from the early to mid 1900s. Residents love the charm of their historic homes, and some appreciate the lack of an HOA and their ability to own chickens.
El Rancho Madrona Village started as a separate residential area of 32 homes sitting on 18 acres of land. The village was built in 1974 and annexed by the City of DuPont in 1977. Home styles range from split-levels to modern log homes, and each home sits on a fairly large lot. Residents of El Rancho Madrona appreciate their larger lots and the homestead feel of the neighborhood. Fun fact, they can also own chickens. There’s a theme here.
Northwest Landing is the newest and largest section of DuPont. There are 7 villages within Northwest Landing, but I’ll break those down more at a future time. For now, we’ll focus on NWL as a whole. Construction of Northwest Landing began in the 1990s. As a planned community, NWL’s comprehensive design included smaller residential lots intermixed with public parks and designated green space and complemented by a downtown core. Residents love their Northwest Contemporary homes and all of the public spaces. As members of the Northwest Landing Resident Owners’ Association, they cannot have chickens. Some find that fact to be a mild source of discontent (my neighbors are probably grateful that I can’t have chickens, goats, peacocks, or alpaca…Eric certainly is).
According to the US Census, the median household income in DuPont is $98,409.
Over the past 12 months, the median home sales price has been $530,000.
things to do - the abridged version
Though small, DuPont is mighty when it comes to area activities. Each section really needs its own blog to cover all the options, so here’s the quick and dirty rundown of some of what you can find within the city limits.
12+ Miles of Trails - Including the Sequalichew Creek Trail that leads down to the waterfront. The trails are marked, and quite a few are populated with signage that provides information about the history of the area and local plants.
18+ Parks - From picnics to playgrounds to pickup games to off-leash dog play, DuPont’s parks offer places to gather and play. During the warm months, Clocktower Park hosts the DuPont Farmer’s Market. Locals gather to buy produce and gifts, grab grub from their favorite food trucks, and enjoy live music.
1 Award Winning Golf Course - I’m not a golfer, but it’s pretty course with a nice grill and event venue. Their Bloody Marys are legit.
DuPont Historical Museum & Pierce County Library - For all your reading needs and a fun way to learn about the history of the area.
3 Gyms - Weights to conditioning to gymnastics can all be found here.
18 Places to Eat - Grab it to go or sit down for a nice meal. You have options.
1 Local Craft Brewery - They craft some damn good beer and offer a rotating selection of local ciders. It’s a great venue for events as well!
7 Spots to Shop - Shop small and local for clothing, accessories, home goods, gifts for all ages, home improvement supplies, and more.
9 Beauty Services - Take care of nails, hair, skin, & injectables without leaving town.
7 Heath Related Services - Physical therapy, dental, vision, & ABA therapy.
thinking of making a move
Consider the hot home at 2297 Wallace Lp, DuPont as your next place.
to wrap up the “quick” blog about home
Y’all, this was my legitimate attempt to write a short blog with the most basic of information introducing people to DuPont, WA. I’m not great at brevity. BUT, I have much more information coming your way about all things PNW, JBLM, and DuPont!
*special thanks to my editorial and production team, Eric Ross, AKA The Hubs, AKA Major Eric Ross, USA, (Ret.)
*except for the it’s that should have been its that the editorial team missed