City of Auburn (Washington)

What City of Auburn (Washington) does

The City of Auburn is a municipal government entity in King County, Washington, operating under a council-mayor form with seven at-large councilmembers and an elected mayor (Nancy Backus). Founded in 1891, the City employs approximately 328 staff and serves Auburn's residents, local businesses, and visitors through core municipal functions: police protection (accredited department), fire services via the Valley Regional Fire Authority joint authority, water, sewer, and storm drainage utilities, public works (streets, transportation, airport, fleet), parks and recreation (nearly 1,000 acres of parkland and 20+ linear miles of trails), community development, permitting, and human services.

The City's technology platform is a multi-vendor civic services stack rather than a unified product. The public-facing layer runs on CivicLive, with department-specific integrations including MyBuildingPermit.com for electronic permit submission (residential, commercial, civil, land use), Sensus Analytics for the Water Usage Customer Portal (consumption data and threshold alerts), MerchantTransact for fee-free online utility payment, Coplogic for online police reporting, SeamlessDocs for form submission, Active Network for recreation registration, GovernmentJobs.com for employment, and ArcGIS-based interactive capital project mapping. Utility billing is published annually (2024–2026 rates disclosed), and a senior/disability discount program is tied to HUD income thresholds.

The City's revenue model combines tax-and-fee streams typical of municipal governments: property and Business & Occupation (B&O) taxes fund general governmental services; a 10% utility tax under City Ordinance No. 6801 applies to water, sewer, and storm drainage; permit and license fees are set by project type and value; and recreation programs, facility rentals, and golf course operations generate transactional revenue. Distribution channels include in-person service at City Hall, online self-service portals, phone, and mail. Marketing is conducted through the city's Facebook and Bluesky accounts, WatchAuburn video, two podcasts ("That's So Auburn!" and "Auburn On Main"), GovDelivery email, RSS feeds, and the quarterly Auburn Magazine. Transit coordination spans King County Metro, Sound Transit, Pierce Transit, Muckleshoot Tribal Transit, DART, and Access Transportation, and waste services are delivered via partnership with Waste Management. Revenue figures are not disclosed on the municipal website.

Name

City of Auburn (Washington)

Legal name

City of Auburn

Website

https://auburnwa.gov

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

The City of Auburn is a municipal government in King County, Washington, serving residents, businesses, and visitors through public safety, utilities, public works, parks, permitting, and community development services delivered via a multi-vendor civic technology platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Executive Offices (92111), Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Police Protection (922120)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIACAA

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIACAF

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIACAI

Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIACAE

Planning, Zoning, Permitting & Code Enforcement

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIABAM

State/Provincial Housing, Urban/Regional Planning & Community Development

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIACAL

Community Safety Administration (Fire/EMS, Emergency Management)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public utilities
• Building permits
• Parks and recreation
• Public safety

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes and B&O Tax: Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax maintains the City's general governmental services. Tax rates and classifications available on city website.
2. Utility Services Revenue: Water, sewer, storm drainage services billed to residents and businesses with a 10% utility tax per City Ordinance No. 6801
3. Permit and License Fees: Building permits, business licenses, and various regulatory licenses and permits
4. Recreation Programs and Facility Rentals: Parks and recreation programs, facility rentals, golf course operations, and special event fees

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The City of Auburn is a municipal government that delivers essential public services to residents, businesses, and visitors within its jurisdictional boundaries. Core offerings include water, sewer, and storm drainage utilities; police and fire protection (via Valley Regional Fire Authority); building and land use permitting; parks, arts, and recreation programs across nearly 1,000 acres of parkland; public works infrastructure maintenance; and community development services including business licensing and B&O tax administration.

Product overview

The City of Auburn (Washington) operates a comprehensive municipal government platform providing public services across multiple departments. The city's digital offerings include an integrated online citizen reporting system for police and service requests, an electronic permit application system via MyBuildingPermit.com for building and land use permits, utility billing and payment services for water, sewer, storm drainage, and waste management, public works infrastructure management, and Parks, Arts & Recreation programming. The city provides a Water Usage Customer Portal for water consumption monitoring, GIS and mapping services, and various online payment systems. The technology infrastructure connects residents with government services including transit coordination (Metro, Sound Transit, Pierce Transit), emergency preparedness, and community development. The platform functions as a multi-service government portal rather than a unified product, with each department offering distinct digital services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Utility Billing Services Billing and payment services for water, sewer, storm drainage, garbage, and recycling utilities serving Auburn residents and businesses. Includes online payment, automatic payment deduction, and senior/disability discount programs.
• Electronic Permit Application System (MyBuildingPermit.com) Online portal for residential, commercial, civil, and land use permit applications including building, mechanical/plumbing, demolition, utilities, and land use submittals.
• Online Citizen Reporting System Digital platform enabling residents to file police reports online and submit service requests for issues such as graffiti, potholes, homeless camps, illegal dumping, street lighting, and road signs.
• Police Services Accredited law enforcement services including animal control, traffic safety, records management, concealed pistol licensing, fingerprinting, and property and evidence handling.
• Public Works Infrastructure Management Planning, design, construction, operations, and maintenance of potable water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage, streets, transportation systems, airport, and city vehicle fleet.
• Parks, Arts & Recreation Programs

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• King County Metro TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMetro Transit is the local transit operator for King County, providing local bus services linking destinations within Auburn and providing regional connections at the downtown Auburn Transit Center and the Auburn 15th ST NW Park & Ride. City works with Metro to identify bus stops for shelters or benches.
• Sound TransitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional transit provider serving Snohomish, King, and Pierce Counties. Provides limited-stop regional transit services linking Auburn to major regional destinations. Auburn Transit Center serves Sounder commuter rail and regional express bus.
• Pierce TransitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional transit agency providing services to Auburn area with routes, schedules, and fares for Auburn residents.
• Muckleshoot Tribal TransitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides fare-free transit service accessible to the public, operating throughout the Muckleshoot Indian Reservation and extending into the City of Auburn. Collaborates with King County Metro with shared designated Metro stops.
• Waste ManagementcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWaste Management provides garbage, recycling, and yard/food waste services for Auburn residents and businesses. Customer service available at 253-939-9792.
• Valley Regional Fire AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint fire authority serving Auburn and surrounding areas, providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, and fire prevention programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• City of Renton, WA: Mid-sized King County city operating public works, water/sewer utilities, parks, police, permitting, and community development with a similar revenue mix including B&O-style utility taxes. Compares directly in scale of workforce, capital program, and economic base.
• City of Marysville, WA: Snohomish County city operating under council-mayor form with water, sewer, stormwater, parks, police, and permitting services. Similar scale of utility rate revenue and dependence on regional transit partnerships for commuter access.
• City of Edgewood, WA: Pierce County neighbor of comparable residential scale contracting for police and utilities, performing its own planning and permitting. Provides a direct comparator for council-mayor governance and Pierce County revenue mix facing Auburn.
• City of Lakewood, WA: Pierce County city of similar population that operates a council-manager form of government with police, public works, parks, and community development services. Comparable scale of operations and reliance on retail, lodging, and B&O tax revenue.
• City of Puyallup, WA: Pierce County city of similar population operating council-mayor government, water/sewer/storm utilities, parks and recreation, police, and community development. Comparable bond-funded capital programs and Puget Sound regional transit access.
• City of Covington, WA: Adjacent King County city operating under council-mayor form with police, parks, public works, and planning services. Compares directly as a small-but-growing residential community contracting for water/sewer utilities and sharing transit markets with Auburn.
• City of Lacey, WA: Thurston County city of comparable population operating utilities, parks, planning, permitting, and police services with a customer base that overlaps the Puget Sound regional growth profile. Matches in governance complexity and capital project pipeline.
• City of Bonney Lake, WA: Pierce County city of similar smaller-municipal scale operating water, sewer, parks, planning, and police services. Comparable residential tax base composition and reliance on permitting as a key revenue lever.
• City of Federal Way, WA: Adjacent King County city of roughly similar size offering the same bundle of public works, water/sewer utilities, parks, recreation, planning, and police services. Comparable service mix, customer demographics, and revenue stream profile to Auburn.
• City of Kent, WA: Neighboring King County city of comparable population size with the same council-mayor governance, full municipal utility services, parks system, police department, and overlapping transit connections. Both cities serve similar residential and commercial tax bases along the Green River valley.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/auburnwa.bsky.social
• YouTubeauburnwa.gov/city_hall/documents/tv_video
• Facebookfacebook.com/auburnwa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/auburnwa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Auburn (Washington)