City · Washington
Ruston, Washington
Ruston, city, in Pierce County, Washington. Ruston had 1,052 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 0.4% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,055 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,245 (±284). GEOID 5360510.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,052
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,055 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,245 ±284
Median household income
$116,331
±$15,943 (90% margin)
Washington: $98,141
Median home value
$912,700
±$93,300 (90% margin)
Washington: $564,600
Median gross rent
$2,598
±$1,149 (90% margin)
Washington: $1,760
Where is Ruston and what county is it in?
Ruston is a city in Pierce County, Washington. It covers 0.3 square miles of land, 4,121 residents per square mile in 2020.
Ruston 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 Ruston, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,052 people lived in Ruston on July 1, 2025, down 0.4% since 2020, while Washington grew 3.8%. The 2020 Census counted 1,055 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,245 (±284).
| Measure | Ruston | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,245 ±284 | 930,319 | no clear change |
| Households | 637 ±148 | 351,330 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 1.95 ±0.22 | 2.59 | −0.41 |
| Housing units | 676 ±147 | 369,709 | no clear change |
Ruston's population since 2000
From 738 in 2000 to 1,052 in 2025: up 42.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Ruston 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 Ruston?
The median resident of Ruston is 44.5 years old; 15.2% are under 18 and 20.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 69.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 12.0%. 10.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Ruston | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.5 ±5.4 | 37.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 15.2% ±5.4 pts | 23.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.2% ±5.9 pts | 14.8% | – |
| Male | 46.9% ±5.0 pts | 50.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 6.7% ±4.1 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 69.7% ±7.5 pts | 61.4% | −14.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±1.1 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 9.4% ±7.0 pts | 6.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 12.0% ±5.4 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.2% ±5.0 pts | 10.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.9% ±4.1 pts | 16.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.7% ±4.1 pts | 10.9% | – |
| With a disability | 13.5% ±5.2 pts | 14.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 1.3% ±1.3 pts | 5.9% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.1% ±1.6 pts | 92.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 61.5% ±6.8 pts | 30.9% | +15.1 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 23.4% ±6.6 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.4% ±8.2 pts | 84.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±1.3 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 Ruston earn?
Half of Ruston's 637 households earn less than $116,331 a year (±$15,943), against $99,564 in Pierce County and $98,141 in Washington. In 2015-2019 it was $111,788 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Ruston | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $116,331 ±$15,943 | $99,564 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $147,734 ±$19,098 | $124,488 | – |
| Per capita income | $75,674 ±$12,275 | $47,648 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.1% ±4.2 pts | 8.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 13.5% ±16.0 pts | 10.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.4% ±5.0 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 100.0% ±6.1 pts | 97.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 99.1% ±1.0 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 Ruston?
Owners occupy 68.8% of Ruston's occupied homes and renters 31.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $912,700 by its owner (±$93,300). The median renter pays $2,598 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Ruston | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $912,700 ±$93,300 | $526,600 | +$340,920 |
| Median gross rent | $2,598 ±$1,149 | $1,806 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 8.7% ±8.0 pts | 42.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $3,475 ±$747 | $2,423 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 68.8% ±12.6 pts | 64.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 31.2% ±12.6 pts | 35.3% | – |
| Housing units | 676 ±147 | 369,709 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 8.7% ±11.1 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 58.4% ±10.9 pts | 65.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.4% ±0.9 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±5.7 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 9.0% ±4.1 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.7% ±6.5 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.7% ±1.9 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 Ruston building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Ruston in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 1.9 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 Ruston work and get to work?
69.1% of Ruston's workers drive alone and 21.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 34.2 minutes.
| Measure | Ruston | Pierce County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.3% ±6.7 pts | 66.3% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.7% ±1.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 69.1% ±8.0 pts | 70.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 3.9% ±2.9 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±6.1 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Worked from home | 21.6% ±7.5 pts | 13.9% | +10.0 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 34.2 min ±7.5 | 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 Ruston?
No census tract lies mostly in Ruston; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 603Pierce County | 5,406 | $108,792 |
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 Ruston) · Census block assignment files
How does Ruston compare with other places in Washington?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Ruston is the 10,071st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 203rd-most populous of 281 in Washington.
Ruston ranks 109th 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 | 203rd | 281 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 168th | 203 |
| Residents per square mile | 40th | 394 |
| Median household income | 109th | 387 |
| Per capita income | 34th | 393 |
| Median home value | 31st | 384 |
| Median gross rent | 21st | 351 |
| Poverty rate | 194th | 281 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27th | 382 |
| Median age | 109th | 394 |
| Owner-occupied share | 228th | 388 |
| Work from home | 101st | 307 |
| Travel time to work | 61st | 394 |
Ruston's figures with every place in Washington (CSV)
Every place in Washington, sortable · Compare Ruston 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 Ruston?
19 of the 57 figures for Ruston 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 Ruston 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 Ruston.