Best Web Design in Lakewood, WA (2026)

Web Design for Lakewood, Washington

Lakewood is a diverse suburban city south of Tacoma in Pierce County, named for the many lakes clustered across its old prairie landscape. Incorporated only in 1996 after three failed attempts, it sits beside Joint Base Lewis-McChord and blends a strong military presence with historic estates, gardens, and one of the region's most international commercial corridors.

AppWT works with Lakewood, WA businesses from Livonia, Michigan, mostly online and travelling as needed.

About Lakewood

Also known as. The Lakes District. Lakewoodian (resident demonym).

History. The area was settled starting around 1833 and long known informally as the 'Lakes District,' 'The Prairie,' or 'Tacoma/Lakewood Center.' Three incorporation attempts (1971, 1990, and 1994) failed before voters approved incorporation in 1995 by a roughly 20-point margin. Officially incorporated as a city on February 28, 1996, immediately becoming the second-largest city in Pierce County. Retired Lt. General Bill Harrison led the incorporation campaign, became the first mayor, and is hailed as the 'Father of Lakewood.' Grew up among military installations including Fort Steilacoom, Camp Murray, and what is now Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Local economy. The economy leans heavily on adjacent Joint Base Lewis-McChord, one of the region's largest employers. St. Clare Hospital is the largest in-city employer, with healthcare providing over 9,000 local jobs. Aero Precision (firearms components) and the Korean Women's Association are among the top employers. The city recorded about 30,662 full-time jobs and $1.65 billion in taxable retail sales in recent years. Higher education anchors include Pierce College Fort Steilacoom and Clover Park Technical College.

Culture and community. Lakewood hosts one of the region's few true international commercial districts along South Tacoma Way and Pacific Highway, with Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Latino businesses. SummerFEST at Fort Steilacoom Park features food trucks, beer gardens, live music, a car show, and K-pop dance performances. The Lakewood Farmers Market runs Tuesdays at Fort Steilacoom Park during the summer. The Lakewood Playhouse, founded in 1938, is a long-running community theater. Sister-city ties link Lakewood to Gimhae, South Korea; Bauang, Philippines; and Okinawa, Japan, reflecting its diversity.

What makes Lakewood distinct. A 1997 Seafirst Bank robbery in Lakewood is cited as the largest armed bank robbery in American history. Four Lakewood police officers were killed in a 2009 ambush at a coffee shop in nearby Parkland, one of the deadliest attacks on U.S. law enforcement. A second Washington community named Lakewood (in Snohomish County) caused mail mix-ups until it was renamed 'North Lakewood' in 1998. Thornewood Castle was assembled from a dismantled 15th- and 16th-century English manor shipped to Washington, and later served as a film location for Stephen King's 'Rose Red.'

Lakewood Landmarks and Local Life

• Lakewold Gardens - a historic estate garden
• Thornewood Castle - a 1911 Tudor-Gothic mansion
• Fort Steilacoom Park and Waughop Lake
• American Lake - the largest lake within city limits at about 1,091 acres
• Western State Hospital - a large regional psychiatric facility