University Place is 8.39 square miles and is home to 31,440 people, with 121 acres of parks and open space in the city, including ball fields, a skate park, three playgrounds, a community orchard and spectacular Rhododendron Garden. University Place is a desirable destination for families. A  great supporter of public schools, the community values good education and finds it important to support funding for schools. Demand for housing in this area is high.

In the 1800s, the University of Puget Sound, a private liberal arts institute in North Tacoma, purchased land along the north-south route of Grandview Drive. The private college was never established, and the University later sold the land back to the city. This is how the name “University Place” came about. University Place remained unincorporated until it was recognized as a city on Aug. 31, 1995.