. 2   km ² ), ▁of ▁which , ▁ 8 . 9   square ▁miles ▁( 2 3 . 1   km ² ) ▁of ▁it ▁is ▁land ▁and ▁ 0 . 0 4   square ▁miles ▁( 0 . 1   km ² ) ▁of ▁it ▁( 0 . 4 5 %) ▁is ▁water . ▁ ▁East ▁Hill - Mer id ian ▁is ▁a ▁town ▁in ▁the ▁greater ▁south ▁Seattle ▁Area ▁that ▁is ▁connected ▁to ▁both ▁R ent on ▁and ▁Kent , ▁W A ▁ ▁Dem ograph ics ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁the ▁census ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁there ▁were ▁ 2 9 , 3 0 8 ▁people , ▁ 9 , 8 4 5 ▁households , ▁and ▁ 7 , 8 5 6 ▁families ▁res iding ▁in ▁the ▁CD P . ▁The ▁population ▁density ▁was ▁ 3 , 2 8 2 . 4 ▁people ▁per ▁square ▁mile ▁( 1 , 2 6 7 . 2 / km ²). ▁There ▁were ▁ 1 0 , 0 8 4 ▁housing ▁units ▁at ▁an ▁average ▁density ▁of ▁ 1 , 1 2 9 . 4 / sq   mi ▁( 4 3 6 . 0 / km ²). ▁The ▁ra cial ▁make up ▁of ▁the ▁CD P ▁was ▁ 7 3 . 4 1 % ▁White , ▁ 4 . 6 5 % ▁African ▁American , ▁ 0 . 6 0 % ▁Native ▁American , ▁ 1 4 . 5 4 % ▁Asian , ▁ 0 . 6 5 % ▁Pacific