Help share Parkland’s story.
Help share Parkland’s story. You are the expert on your community. What matters to you may make a difference in your community’s health.
First people
The ancestors of the Nisqually, Puyallup, and Steilacoom tribes were the first to call Parkland home.
Parkland’s growth over the years came at the cost of these first people losing this land. Today, these Coast Salish tribes remain the traditional stewards of the area.
Who lives here?
About 38,600 people live in the core Parkland area, ZIP codes 98444 and 98445.
The Parkland area is an unincorporated, census-designated place south of Tacoma. It grew around Pacific Lutheran University (PLU), and is known for its strong history of local activism and community preservation.
Parkland includes communities centered around PLU’s historic Old Main building and the Historic Parkland School. Parkland focuses on preserving its unique character while serving as a growing residential hub.
Strengths and assets
Many organizations support the Parkland community and residents, including:
- Parkland with a Purpose (Instagram & Facebook).
- Franklin Pierce School District.
- Pacific Lutheran University (PLU).
- Parkland Community Association.
- Save the Historic Parkland School Workgroup.
- Blue Zones Project Parkland/Spanaway.
- Franklin Pierce Family Resource Center.
- The Farm at Franklin Pierce.
- Trinity Lutheran Church Food Pantry.
- Gardens of Edible Grace Community Garden.
- Pierce County Library (Parkland-Spanaway Branch).
- Parkland Prairie Nature Preserve.
- Sprinker Recreation Center.
- Bresemann Forest Park Trail.
- Garfield Street Business Association.
ABOVE: Parkland area in 1945 and today. Source: Pierce County.
Community conditions that shape health
As part of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s Community of Focus initiative, the Parkland community is working to improve health, social, and economic opportunities. Key challenges include:
- Health Outcomes: High rates of heart disease and limited access to primary care providers.
- Housing Costs: Many residents face high housing burdens, with 40% spending over 30% of income on rent.
- Food Access: Only about 51% of residents report easy access to healthy food.
- Infrastructure: Rapid growth over the last 50 years has outpaced the development of essential services.
Since becoming a Community of Focus, Parkland has:
- Successfully saved the Old Parkland School and transformed it into a community center.
- Partnered with the Blue Zones Project Parkland/Spanaway to address health disparities and improve wellness access.
- Engaged residents through participatory budgeting efforts and community resource fairs to direct funds to local priorities like tree planting and youth activities.
Community priorities
- Affordable housing.
- Access to healthy food.
- Transportation.
- Youth activities and gathering spaces.
- Community safety.
- Improved healthcare access.
Links and resources
- Restoration in Chambers-Clover Creek Watershed
- Parkland: A Forgotten History, Remembered
- Parkland: From Wilderness to Unfair Forest
- Historic Flows, Flow Problems and Fish Presence in Clover Creek—1924-1942: Interviews with Early Residents
- The Old Parkland School – Pretty Gritty Tours
- Getting your historical bearings – Parkland, Spanaway to Roy
Community members make their neighborhood a great place to live, work, and play.
Health starts where we live, learn, work, play, and pray.
Together we can support a Parkland where all people call live, learn, work, play and thrive!
For more information, email bridgingtocommunity@tpchd.org.