Getting to Know Auburn
Auburn in Figures
Auburn is a city of more than 80,000 residents about 22 miles south of Seattle and 10 miles northeast of Tacoma, spanning the King-Pierce county line. SR-167 and SR-18 cross here, connecting the city to I-5, I-405, and the mountain passes. The Sounder commuter rail stops at Auburn Station downtown, putting Seattle and Tacoma within a direct train ride. The city covers roughly 30 square miles, from the flat valley floor to the Lea Hill and West Hill plateaus.
The Green and White rivers frame the city, and the valley between them holds one of the region’s densest concentrations of manufacturing and distribution employment, anchored by the Boeing Auburn fabrication plant.
How Auburn Came to Be
The Green River Valley is the homeland of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, whose reservation lies along the southeastern edge of the city. The valley’s rivers supported salmon runs that fed communities here for thousands of years before settlement.
Settlers arrived in the 1850s, and the town incorporated in 1891 as Slaughter, named for Lieutenant William Slaughter, who died in the conflicts of 1855. Locals balked at addressing letters to Slaughter and lodging at the Slaughter House hotel, and within two years the legislature approved the change to Auburn. The railroad made the renamed town a freight hub, and hops, dairy, and truck farming filled the valley until flood control and industry transformed it in the mid 20th century.
The Boeing plant opened in 1966 and grew into one of the largest airplane parts facilities anywhere. Emerald Downs opened in 1996, reviving the region’s thoroughbred racing tradition, and the Muckleshoot Tribe built one of the most successful casino and entertainment operations in the state.
The Logistics of Moving in Auburn
Auburn’s geography splits into two kinds of moving days. The valley floor is flat, gridded, and easy for trucks, whether downtown near Main Street or in the residential blocks around Les Gove Park. The hills are a different job. Lea Hill and West Hill streets climb hard, some of the older ones narrow and curving, and winter weather can complicate the grades. We scout access in advance and position equipment accordingly.
Timing matters too. SR-167 and SR-18 carry heavy freight traffic on weekdays, and the valley’s warehouse shift changes put trucks on the arterials at predictable hours. We schedule around the corridor patterns so your move is not stuck in them.
Apartment and condo moves near Auburn Station involve elevator reservations and loading rules that we confirm with management before move day.