HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Medina () is a city in the Eastside region of
King County, Washington King County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. The population was 2,269,675 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of counties in Washington, most populo ...
, United States. The mostly residential city is on a peninsula in Lake Washington, on the opposite shore from
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
, bordered by Clyde Hill and Hunts Point to the east and water on all other sides. The city's population was 2,915 at the 2020 census.
Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American businessman and philanthropist. A pioneer of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, he co-founded the software company Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend ...
and
Jeff Bezos Jeffrey Preston Bezos ( ;; and Robinson (2010), p. 7. ; born January 12, 1964) is an American businessman best known as the founder, executive chairman, and former president and CEO of Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce and clou ...
, along with a number of billionaires and executives for tech companies, have homes in Medina.


History

The eastern shore of Lake Washington between Meydenbauer Bay and Evergreen Point was a sparsely populated area that was cleared for its timber in the 1870s. Seattle businessman Thomas Dabney established a claim on the south side of modern-day Medina in 1886, becoming the area's first permanent white settler. Dabney built a ferry dock in 1890, naming it Dabney's Landing, while the surrounding area was turned into berry farms and fruit orchards. Other settlers arrived at Dabney's Landing, which was briefly named Flordeline by its founder until objections were raised by a group of women who proposed the Arabic name "
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
" in 1891. After a series of debates and sign-switching incidents, Medina won and was adopted as the name of the town. Medina was platted in 1914 and officially incorporated on August 19, 1955. The town's first mansions were built in the 1920s by wealthy Seattle businessmen, encouraged by the arrival of direct ferry service, and led to the nickname of Washington's " Gold Coast". The area's farmers, mostly of Japanese descent, were evicted during the 1940s internment and their farms were turned over for redevelopment.


Surveillance

In 2009, Medina, with the "wide support of residents", installed cameras at intersections along roads entering the city. The cameras are used to capture the license plate number of every car, and a security system automatically notifies local police if the captured number is recorded in a database. Travelers are notified of the presence of the system with signs that read "You Are Entering a 24 Hour Video Surveillance Area"; according to Medina's police chief, all captured information is stored for 60 days even if nothing negative is found in the database, allowing police to mine data if a crime occurs later. One of the city's council members said the system was motivated by the belief that the need for
crime prevention Crime prevention refers to strategies and measures that seek to reduce the risk of crime occurring by intervening before a crime has been committed. It encompasses many approaches, including developmental, situational, community-based and crimin ...
"outweighs concern over privacy". The system was inspired by that used in adjacent Hunts Point, a town of about 500 residents which has not had a break-in for more than three years after installing their system.


Tree Code

Designated as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation since 2006, Medina has always been a leader in urban tree codes. Since 1972, the City of Medina has codified the value that trees bring to a community, and the Tree Code ordinances have consistently been modified throughout the years. Major revisions in 2000, 2003 and 2006 have improved the code such that it is one of the most extensive in the region. The current code (2006 edition) protects large trees and requires significant mitigation if they are removed. In 2011, the City Council directed the Planning Commission to update the existing tree code. Dividing the task into two phases, the Planning Commission brought Phase I, which were largely administrative changes, to Council in 2014, where it was passed into law. Phase II changes have been underway since then, with much work and input from the community, an ad hoc tree committee, the Planning Commission and City Council. It is anticipated that the new code will be adopted in mid-2015.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Medina is connected to Seattle, on the western shore of Lake Washington, by State Route 520 on the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, the longest floating bridge in the world.


Climate

This region experiences warm (but not hot) and dry summers, with no average monthly temperatures above 71.6 °F. According to the
Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
system, Medina has a
warm-summer Mediterranean climate A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
, abbreviated "Csb" on climate maps.


Government and politics

The City of Medina is a non-charter code city with a
council–manager government The council–manager government is a form of local government commonly used for municipalities and counties in the United States and Ireland, in New Zealand regional councils, and in Canadian municipalities. In the council-manager government, ...
. The city council is composed of seven members elected in
non-partisan Nonpartisanship, also known as nonpartisanism, is a lack of affiliation with a political party and a lack of political bias. While an ''Oxford English Dictionary'' definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., ...
,
at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...
elections to four-year terms. The council elects a ceremonial
mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
and deputy mayor from its members, serving a two-year term, and appoint a
city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...
to execute its legislative policies and oversee the government. The current city manager is Steve Burns. Despite its wealthy residents, the city government had a budget shortfall of 8 percent forecast for 2020. A
property tax A property tax (whose rate is expressed as a percentage or per mille, also called ''millage'') is an ad valorem tax on the value of a property.In the OECD classification scheme, tax on property includes "taxes on immovable property or Wealth t ...
increase was approved by a narrow margin in the November 2019 elections. Medina has traditionally been a Republican stronghold at the local and national levels. However, like neighboring communities, it has become more competitive between the two major parties in recent elections.


State level

Medina is part of the 48th Legislative District, and its current legislators in the Washington State Legislature are: * Senator Patty Kuderer * Representative Joan McBride * Representative Vandana Slatter The 48th district also includes the more Democratic leaning area of adjacent Bellevue.


Nationally

Medina is part of the 1st Congressional District. Its current Representative is Suzan DelBene. As part of Washington, Medina is represented by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. In the 2008 US Presidential Election,
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
received more votes than the Republican nominee,
John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American statesman and United States Navy, naval officer who represented the Arizona, state of Arizona in United States Congress, Congress for over 35 years, first as ...
, and carried all 4 precincts. In the 2012 US Presidential Election, the Republican nominee,
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
, received 1025 votes, while
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
, the Democratic incumbent received 934 votes.
Mitt Romney Willard Mitt Romney (born March 12, 1947) is an American businessman and retired politician. He served as a United States Senate, United States senator from Utah from 2019 to 2025 and as the 70th governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007 ...
carried 3 out of the 4 precincts in Medina. In the
2016 US Presidential Election Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 8, 2016. The Republican ticket of businessman Donald Trump and Indiana governor Mike Pence defeated the Democratic ticket of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and ...
, of the 1,856 who cast votes, 57.49% voted for
Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, lawyer and diplomat. She was the 67th United States secretary of state in the administration of Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, a U.S. senator represent ...
and 33.19% for
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
.


Demographics


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 2,969 people, 1,061 households, and 865 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 1,162 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.5% White, 0.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 11.7% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population. There were 1,061 households, of which 40.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.1% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 18.5% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age in the city was 45.5 years. 29% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15.1% were from 25 to 44; 32.8% were from 45 to 64; and 18.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.


2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 3,011 people, 1,111 households, and 905 families residing in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was 2,102.3 people per square mile (813.0/km2). There were 1,165 housing units at an average density of 813.4 per square mile (314.6/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.63%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 4.88% Asian, 0.27% Native American, 0.17%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.07%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.33% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 1.39% of the population. There were 1,111 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.6% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 5.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.5% were non-families. 14.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.00. The age distribution was 30.1% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $133,756, and the median income for a family was $149,637. Males had a median income of $100,000 versus $50,893 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $81,742. About 0.2% of families and 0.8% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including none of those under age 18 and 1.0% of those age 65 or over.


Notable people

*
Jeff Bezos Jeffrey Preston Bezos ( ;; and Robinson (2010), p. 7. ; born January 12, 1964) is an American businessman best known as the founder, executive chairman, and former president and CEO of Amazon, the world's largest e-commerce and clou ...
, founder and executive chairman of
Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology company * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek myth ...
. * Jeffrey Brotman, attorney, businessman and the co-founder of Costco Wholesale Corporation * Jeff Cirillo, former
MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
third baseman, currently
MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
Scout with the
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West Division. Since 1966, the team has pl ...
* Norton Clapp, former chairman of Weyerhaeuser *
Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American businessman and philanthropist. A pioneer of the microcomputer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s, he co-founded the software company Microsoft in 1975 with his childhood friend ...
, co-founder and former chairman of
Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...
, philanthropist * Melinda French Gates, co-founder of Gates Foundation and philanthropist * Gerald Grinstein, former CEO of
Delta Air Lines Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a Major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, operating nine hubs, with Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport being its ...
* Nathan Myhrvold, formerly chief technology officer at Microsoft, is co-founder of Intellectual Ventures and the principal author of Modernist Cuisine * Wayne M. Perry, former president McCaw Cellular, vice-chairman of AT&T Wireless Services, founder Edge Wireless, former national president of the
Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...
* Mark Pigott, executive chairman of the board of directors of
Paccar Paccar Inc. (stylized as PACCAR) is an American company primarily focused on the design and manufacturing of large commercial trucks through its subsidiaries DAF, Kenworth and Peterbilt sold across markets worldwide. The company is headquartere ...
*
William Ruckelshaus William Doyle Ruckelshaus (July 24, 1932 – November 27, 2019) was an American attorney and government official. Ruckelshaus served in the Indiana House of Representatives from 1966 to 1968, and was the United States Assistant Attorney General ...
, former administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, former acting director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...
(FBI), and former
United States Deputy Attorney General The United States deputy attorney general is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Justice and oversees the day-to-day operation of the department. The deputy attorney general acts as attorney general during the ...
* MacKenzie Scott, author and philanthropist * Jon Shirley, former Microsoft president and noted art collector * Jack Sikma, Hall of Fame
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
center for the Seattle SuperSonics *
Charles Simonyi Charles Simonyi (; , ; born September 10, 1948) is a Hungarian Americans, Hungarian-American software architect. He introduced the graphical user interface to Bill Gates for the first time who later described it as the first of two revolutiona ...
, former Microsoft executive *
Lenny Wilkens Leonard Randolph Wilkens (born October 28, 1937) is an American former professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been inducted three times into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, fi ...
, former
NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
basketball player and former coach of the Seattle SuperSonics


Education

Public education is provided by the Bellevue School District, with schools within Medina and in nearby Bellevue. Residents are zoned to Medina Elementary School (K to 5), Chinook Middle School, and Bellevue High School. There are two private schools in Medina: * Bellevue Christian School – Three Points Elementary (private, K to 6)Three Points Elementary website, retrieved online 2011-06-02
* Saint Thomas School (private, pre-K to 8)


References


External links


Official website

Medina Municipal Code
hosted by Code Publishing Co. {{authority control Cities in King County, Washington Cities in the Seattle metropolitan area Populated places established in 1955 1955 establishments in Washington (state) Cities in Washington (state)