City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Lacey, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lacey - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

57,088
Residents
$87,277
Median income
$427,900
Median home
$1,960
Median rent (state)

Lacey - the verdict

Lacey ranks in the 68th percentile for household income and the 20th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

68th
percentile, household income
80th
percentile, home value
81st
percentile, median rent
20th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lacey, WA

Washington's Lacey is a small city, with 57,088 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Lacey households earn a median of $87,277 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.8%. Lacey's housing stock carries a median value of $427,900, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. Educational attainment runs 32.2% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 53.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 178 residential building permits were authorized in Lacey (Construction Slowdown), down 74% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2654.9 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,960 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $188 across Washington, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 94.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

57,088 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$87,277 /yr

Poverty 7.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Lacey compare to other US cities?

Where Lacey sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 68% higher than other cities
Home value 80% pricier than other cities
Median rent 81% pricier than other cities
Safety 20% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Washington alone, Lacey ranks #103 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lacey's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Washington, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

68thIncome percentile
20thSafety percentile

68th percentile nationally for median household income · 20th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lacey's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lacey's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Lacey's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lacey's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$427,900 20th percentile more affordable than 20% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lacey $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lacey, WA Lacey, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lacey, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lacey, WA median $87,277/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lacey, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lacey, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
57,088
Median Income
$87,277
Median Home Value
$427,900
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Labor force participation
53.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.2%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2654.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
186.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2468.1
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
24
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
56,000 residents57,000 residents58,000 residents59,000 residents60,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 56,781 residents 58,833 residents ▲ +3.6%
Lacey's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
178
housing units authorized
Single-Family
37
detached homes
Multifamily
141
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 685
2020 315
2021 917
2022 319
2023 371
2024 178

Permit volume decreased 74% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.3%
Carpool
10.0%
Public Transit
2.4%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
14.4%
Other
1.2%

Based on 26,317 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lacey sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,960/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Olympia
55,583 people
Shoreline
59,280 people
Richland
61,912 people
Burien
51,331 people
Lakewood
63,034 people
Bothell
48,610 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lacey's 57,088 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Oak Lawn, IL
57,098 people
Pocatello, ID
57,152 people
Bartlett, TN
56,998 people
Brookhaven, GA
57,224 people
Herriman, UT
57,336 people
Albany, OR
56,773 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lacey's $87,277 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Oostburg, WI
$87,276 median income
Fairbanks, IN
$87,273 median income
Williamsburg, IN
$87,273 median income
New Brighton, MN
$87,272 median income
Grain Valley, MO
$87,266 median income
Madison, PA
$87,292 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lacey, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lacey, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 66.8% 6.1% 10.0% 11.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12.7% White 66.8% Black or African American 6.1% Asian 10.0% American Indian 0.8% Native Hawaiian 1.8% Some other race 2.6% Two or more races 11.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lacey compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lacey (this city) 57,088 $87,277
Olympia 55,583 $76,930
Shoreline 59,280 $113,336
Richland 61,912 $92,550
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lacey, WA?

What is the population of Lacey, WA? +

Lacey, WA counts 57,088 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lacey, WA? +

Lacey households earn a median of $87,277 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lacey? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lacey; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Lacey, WA safe? +

Lacey has a total crime rate of 2654.9 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lacey, WA? +

The median home value in Lacey is $427,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.