Welcome to Thurston County, located in the South Puget Sound area of Western Washington State. T hurston County is between Seattle, WA and Portland, OR along Interstate Highway 5. With Puget Sound at your door, the Pacific Ocean one hour to the west, and the Cascade Mountain Range featuring Mt. Rainier and Mt. St. Helens one hour to the east, this area abounds in recreational and scenic opportunities. O lympia is the State Capitol and County Seat for Thurston County. Lacey and Tumwater are the other two major cities, with outlying towns of Yelm, Tenino, Rochester, Rainier, and Bucoda.
T here are many inlets and numerous lakes.
A number of suburbs and rural communities offer peaceful neighborhoods in the midst of beautiful scenery. For area residents, that means quiet neighborhoods, an abundance of parks and community activities, competitive school districts, and career opportunities close to home. For advanced education opportunities there is the Evergreen State College, St. Martin s College, and South Puget Sound Community College. The arts thrive in the South Sound with several performing arts centers and museums.