Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington. It had a population of 55,605 at the 2020 census, making it the state of Washington's 23rd-most populous city. Olympia is the county seat of Thurston County, and the central city for a metropolitan statistical area of 298,758, the fifth-largest in Washington state. Located 50 miles southwest of Seattle, Olympia anchors the South Puget Sound region of Western Washington. The Squaxin and other Coast Salish peoples inhabited the southern Puget Sound region prior to the arrival of European and American settlers in the 19th century. The Treaty of Medicine Creek was signed in 1854 and followed by the Treaty of Olympia in 1856; these two treaties forced the Squaxin to relocate to an Indian reservation. Olympia was declared the capital of the Washington Territories (later the state of Washington) in 1853 and incorporated as a town on January 28, 1859. It became a city in 1882. Aside from its role in the state government, Olympia is also recognized as a countercultural hub in the Pacific Northwest. The city's music scene gained prominence in the 1990s for its role in the emergence of punk rock movements such as riot grrrl and grunge. Olympia is also home to The Evergreen State College, a public liberal arts institution known for its non-traditional curriculum. Today, Olympia has been ranked among the U.S. cities with the most potential for economic growth by the Milken Institute, thanks to its booming technology sector. Intercity Transit provides fare-free bus service throughout the Olympia area, which has high per-capita use of public transportation relative to other cities of its size.