City comparison
Lacey, WA is about 20 miles (30 km) from Tacoma, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 27 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Lacey, WA to Tacoma, WA takes about 3 min, covering roughly 20 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Tacoma has a population of 219,234, vs 56,263 in Lacey — about 3.9× larger by population. By land area, Tacoma covers about 50 sq mi vs 19 sq mi for Lacey.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Lacey | Tacoma | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,639/mo | $1,489/mo | 10.1% higher in Lacey |
| Median home value | $378,700 | $415,300 | 9.7% higher in Tacoma |
| Median household income | $79,874 | $79,085 | 1.0% higher in Lacey |
| Groceries index | 104.9 | 103.0 | 1.8% higher in Lacey |
| Utilities index | 94.7 | 92.5 | 2.4% higher in Lacey |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 108.1 | 8.1% higher in Tacoma |
| Healthcare index | 99.9 | 108.8 | 8.9% higher in Tacoma |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Lacey, you'd need $113,953 in Tacoma to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lacey, WA is about 12.2% cheaper overall than Tacoma, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 26% higher in Tacoma than in Lacey. If you earn $80,000 in Lacey, you'd need about $91,163 in Tacoma to keep the same standard of living.