Lakewood Apartments and Rentals

Home to military personnel, tech startups and miles of gorgeous coniferous-clad mountain views, Lakewood is a small city that continues to be a vibrant outpost of the Puget Sound region. More than 58,000 residents call this patch of 17 square miles home, yet there is always room for more in this ever-growing community - Lakewood apartments for rent are available and waiting with open arms.

Lakewood was originally inhabited by the Nisqually tribe, who sustained themselves largely from the bounty of the nearby Nisqually River. In the late 1800s, the area today known as Lakewood was staked by the British as the location of Fort Nisqually, which mainly served as a fur trading post. In 1869, the United States bought the area from the Hudson Bay Company. During the heyday of the fort, the Nisqually tribe, who considered this land to be theirs, often fought the new settlers. After 4,717 acres on both sides of the Nisqually River were allotted to several families of the tribe, the Nisqually people were once again ordered off of their historic homeland by the U.S. Army in 1917, who decided they needed the land to expand the Fort Lewis base.

White settlers continued to move into the area in droves throughout the 1800s and 1900s, with many wealthy families expanding their lakeside and riverside summer homes into year-round abodes during the 1920s. Lakewood's place as a thriving community was cemented when Lakewood Colonial Center was completed in 1951 - as one of the first suburban shopping centers in the country, the center provided many opportunities for growth in a new modern era.

Lakewood is endowed with two community colleges within city limits that provide residents with opportunities to start their careers in fields such as early childhood education, massage therapy and phlebotomy. Clover Park Technical College and Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom are both great educational options that provide flexible online and weekend course schedules, as well as credit for high school and career experience.

Top employers for the area include the nearby U.S. Army's Fort Lewis and the U.S. Air Force base McChord, which provides military personnel with a short commute to and from their Lakewood rental or home. Jobs in healthcare are also prevalent in the area, with Multicare Health System, Franciscan Health System and the U.S. Army Madigan Hospital being among the largest employers for the county.

Like most communities in and around the Puget Sound, Lakewood residents enjoy a quality of life that is slightly more expensive than the national average. According to city-data.com, Lakewood residents have a cost of living index that is nearly 10 points higher than U.S. average.

However, gross rent in Lakewood is among the most affordable in the area, with residents paying an average of $748 per month in 2009. This rate is more than $250 less than median gross rent in Seattle for the same time frame, and more than $100 less than Tacoma's 2009 median rent. With both of these cities so easily accessible, residents in Lakewood enjoy having the benefits of urban life at their disposal while still being able to live affordably.

Residents of Lakewood enjoy a wealth of nearby attractions, with historic and outdoor centers providing family friendly fun. Residents enjoy hitting a few rounds of golf at Whispering Firs American 1 or Fort Steilacoom Golf Course.

Lakewood stays true to its roots by offering historic tours of Fort Steilacoom. The fort offers a "trip back in time" with replicas of old storefronts and well-preserved and refurbished houses and buildings.

To find a Lakewood apartment or rental, check out our apartment listings. Rent.com® is happy to help you find your next home.