#10 Olympia, Wash.

Market Health Indicator: 33.3

With a population of nearly a quarter million, Olympia is one of the smallest of the top 100 markets. But the state capital, located about 60 miles from Seattle, is also among the strongest. Olympia’s housing correction has been a mild one; at $184,000, existing home prices remain above 2004 levels. Even so, a state government hiring freeze, enacted in 2008, has curtailed employment here, and the unemployment rate is now running at 9.9%. Though new households are still forming, median income levels have fallen 8.5% during the last year. Olympia also happens to be the home of Scott Homes, named Builder of the Year by the NAHB Research Center for its work building energy-efficient homes.

Nice, and props to Scott Homes!!

Six key lessons from Portland's urbanism

An expert on cities distills the Portland DNA. Most of all, it's a city that is comfortable with being an urban place.

Some lessons to consider for Olympia?

1 dead, 1 injured in Olympia-area shooting

By Jeremy Pawloski | The Olympian • Published September 24, 2009

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A man shot and killed his estranged girlfriend with a sawed-off shotgun this morning at Lattin’s Country Cider Mill on Rich Road, then turned the weapon on himself and was critically injured.

Our condolences to the families involved.

Our Mountain from a different angle. Photo of Mt. Rainer as taken by astronauts on the International Space Station.

How do you like THAT?

Hey I've seen that before someplace??

Who would you give a key to the City of Olympia??

Was about to happen, right??

What did who just win and where and why?
Sounders win of the US Open Cup explained!

Killer whales spotted in South Sound

The Olympian • Published September 03, 2009

A group of orca whales has been spotted in Eld Inlet.

Readers have reported seeing several adults and a juvenile.

Whale expert John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research said this morning that the whales have been in the area for three days. He said researchers will approach the group today and attempt to identify the animals.

He said there may be four or five individuals.