City · Washington
Buckley, Washington
Buckley, city, in Pierce County, Washington. Buckley had 5,688 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 11.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,114 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,371 (±18). GEOID 5308570.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,688
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,114 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,371 ±18
Median household income
$124,583
±$6,299 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$574,100
±$54,281 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$1,992
±$973 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Buckley and what county is it in?
Buckley is a city in Pierce County, Washington. It covers 3.9 square miles of land, 1,325 residents per square mile in 2020.
Buckley is in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Buckley, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,688 people lived in Buckley on July 1, 2025, up 11.3% since 2020, faster than Washington (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 5,114 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,371 (±18).
| Measure | Buckley | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,371 ±18 | 930,319 | +583 |
| Households | 1,841 ±216 | 351,330 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.71 ±0.32 | 2.59 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,970 ±253 | 369,709 | no clear change |
Buckley's population since 2000
From 4,145 in 2000 to 5,688 in 2025: up 37.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Buckley as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Buckley?
The median resident of Buckley is 42.6 years old; 22.2% are under 18 and 22.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 82.5%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 8.5%.
| Measure | Buckley | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.6 ±5.0 | 37.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 22.2% ±6.7 pts | 23.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 22.1% ±7.6 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Male | 51.0% ±3.7 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.0% ±2.8 pts | 12.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 82.5% ±11.7 pts | 61.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 8.5% ±12.3 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 6.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.1% ±2.2 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.6 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.5% ±5.6 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.0% ±6.2 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.6% ±4.2 pts | 10.9% | – |
| With a disability | 17.4% ±6.3 pts | 14.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.9% ±6.0 pts | 5.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.1% ±3.9 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 23.1% ±8.7 pts | 30.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.8% ±2.5 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 88.2% ±8.2 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 2.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Buckley earn?
Half of Buckley's 1,841 households earn less than $124,583 a year (±$6,299), against $99,564 in Pierce County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 the median was $95,394 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $29,189 after inflation. 9.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Buckley | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $124,583 ±$6,299 | $99,564 | +$29,189 |
| Mean household income | $138,112 ±$20,604 | $124,488 | – |
| Per capita income | $48,255 ±$7,699 | $47,648 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.3% ±4.2 pts | 8.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±3.3 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.0% ±9.3 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±2.1 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 90.3% ±7.8 pts | 94.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Buckley?
Owners occupy 78.4% of Buckley's occupied homes and renters 21.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $574,100 by its owner (±$54,281). The median renter pays $1,992 a month including utilities, and 65.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Buckley | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $574,100 ±$54,281 | $526,600 | +$163,048 |
| Median gross rent | $1,992 ±$973 | $1,806 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 65.5% ±29.5 pts | 42.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,632 ±$349 | $2,423 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.4% ±11.1 pts | 64.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.6% ±11.1 pts | 35.3% | – |
| Housing units | 1,970 ±253 | 369,709 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.9% ±4.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.6 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 84.9% ±9.1 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 7.1% ±7.4 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 11.5% ±4.8 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 13.4% ±9.0 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 2.3% ±2.6 pts | 5.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Buckley building?
Builders took permits for 103 new housing units in Buckley in 2025 (85 in single-family houses), 18.1 per 1,000 residents against 4.4 across Washington.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Buckley work and get to work?
70.8% of Buckley's workers drive alone and 16.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 32.1 minutes.
| Measure | Buckley | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.9% ±8.2 pts | 66.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% ±4.8 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 70.8% ±12.1 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 8.0% ±6.0 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.7% ±1.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.0% ±2.5 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 16.2% ±6.6 pts | 13.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 32.1 min ±5.2 | 31.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Buckley?
1 census tract lies mostly in Buckley (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 702.07Pierce County | 6,415 | $125,310 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Buckley) · Census block assignment files
How does Buckley compare with other places in Washington?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Buckley is the 4,554th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 120th-most populous of 281 in Washington.
Buckley ranks 86th of 387 places in Washington with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 120th | 281 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 34th | 203 |
| Residents per square mile | 207th | 394 |
| Median household income | 86th | 387 |
| Per capita income | 157th | 393 |
| Median home value | 150th | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 93rd | 351 |
| Poverty rate | 149th | 281 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 271st | 382 |
| Median age | 139th | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 161st | 388 |
| Work from home | 149th | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 91st | 394 |
Buckley's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Buckley with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Buckley?
22 of the 57 figures for Buckley on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Buckley are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Buckley.