Median Income
$79,874
household / year
Median Home Value
$378,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,639
gross / month
Cost of Living
108
national avg = 100

Is Lacey, WA a Good Place to Live?

Lacey is a mid-sized city of 56,263 in Washington, with a median household income of $79,874 and a 5.4% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 108 (US average = 100), which is 8% above the national average.

Strengths: Lacey stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lacey is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Lacey city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 107.6

Lacey's overall cost of living index is 107.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lacey costs roughly 8% more than the average American city.

Metric Lacey, WA National Avg
Median Home Value $378,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,639 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 57.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $79,874 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Lacey's violent crime rate is 186.8 per 100,000 residents — 51% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
186.8 /100k
Property Crime
2468.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Lacey is served primarily by North Thurston Public Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.6:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Lacey, WA National Avg
School District North Thurston Public Schools —
Elementary Schools 14 —
Middle Schools 5 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.6:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.1% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 93.2% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Lacey sees average highs of 46.0°F in January and 77.6°F in July, with 54.0 inches of annual precipitation and 3.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricLacey, WA
Average High — January46.0°F
Average High — July77.6°F
Annual Precipitation54.0"
Annual Snowfall3.9"

Demographics

MetricLacey, WANational Avg
Population56,263—
Median Age36.538.9
Unemployment Rate5.4%3.7%
Avg Commute Time25.7 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.3%59.3%
Black or African American5.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.5%18.9%
Asian9.4%6.3%
Under 1821.5%22.2%
65 and over17.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Tanglewilde, WA 1 mi Olympia, WA 5 mi Nisqually Indian Community, WA 6 mi Tumwater, WA 7 mi DuPont, WA 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Lacey

Lacey, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

98516 98503

Lacey vs Other Cities

Lacey, WA vs Tanglewilde, WA Lacey, WA vs Olympia, WA Lacey, WA vs Nisqually Indian Community, WA Lacey, WA vs Tumwater, WA Lacey, WA vs DuPont, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

Lacey's cost of living index is 108, where 100 is the national average. That puts Lacey roughly 8% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $378,700 and median rent is $1,639/month.
Lacey's violent crime rate is 186.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2468.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Lacey are operated by North Thurston Public Schools. The district has 14 elementary, 5 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.6:1. 32.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Lacey, WA has a population of 56,263, a median household income of $79,874, and an unemployment rate of 5.4%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Lacey averages 46.0°F in January and 77.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 54.0 inches with about 3.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Lacey, WA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 98516, 98503.
The population of Lacey, Washington is 56,263 with a median age of 36.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lacey: cost of living index 108 (100 = US average), median home $378,700, median household income $79,874, crime index 77 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lacey side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.