Graham is an unincorporated census-designated place in south-central Pierce County, Washington, located about 16 miles southeast of Tacoma. Its population has grown substantially, rising from roughly 23,500 in 2010 to about 33,000 in 2020, as the area has absorbed residential growth spreading south from the Tacoma and Puyallup corridor. The community's history predates European settlement, with the surrounding valleys used by Native American peoples before homesteading and farming took hold in the 1800s. For much of its history Graham remained a small farming and crossroads settlement, but recent decades have brought steady suburban and semi-rural growth as families seek more space within reach of Pierce County's urban centers. Graham sits in the shadow of Mount Rainier, and the mountain dominates the horizon and the area's identity. Its foothills, forests, and open fields give the community a distinctly outdoors-oriented, Pacific Northwest character, with a mix of established rural properties and newer residential subdivisions. The area appeals to a broad range of households, from long-time locals and farmers to commuters and military families connected to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which lies a short drive to the west. Despite its growth, Graham retains the feel of an unincorporated foothills community, with services spread among nearby towns and a pace of life slower than the Tacoma-Seattle corridor it borders. The area's growth has brought new schools, commercial services, and road improvements as farmland and forest have gradually given way to residential streets, though large stretches of open land still define the community's southern and eastern edges. Its location offers a practical balance of space, scenery, and access to the region's employment centers.