Olympia, Washington

Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington. The population was 55,605 at the 2020 census, while the Olympia metropolitan statistical area has an estimated 300,000 people. Olympia is the county seat of Thurston County and anchors the South Puget Sound region of western Washington, 50 miles (80 km) southwest of Seattle.

The Squaxin and other Coast Salish peoples inhabited the southern Puget Sound region prior to the arrival of European and American settlers in the 19th century. The Treaty of Medicine Creek was signed in 1854 and followed by the Treaty of Olympia in 1856; these two treaties forced the Squaxin to relocate to an Indian reservation. Olympia was declared the capital of the Washington Territory in 1853 and incorporated as a town on January 28, 1859. It became a city in 1882.

Aside from its role in the state government, Olympia is also recognized as a countercultural hub in the Pacific Northwest. The city's music scene gained prominence in the 1990s for its role in the emergence of punk rock movements such as riot grrrl and grunge. Olympia is also home to The Evergreen State College, a public liberal arts institution known for its non-traditional curriculum. Intercity Transit provides fare-free bus service throughout the Olympia area, which has high per-capita use of public transportation relative to other cities of its size.