Should I Move To
Lacey, Washington is home to about 56,263 people. On cost of living, it lands in the moderate band — 8% above the national average. The median renter pays around $1,639 a month against a typical household income of $79,874. Our composite UrbRank Score lands at 57 out of 100 (grade C), putting it at #224 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Lacey's composite cost-of-living index lands at 108 (100 = US average), which puts it in the moderate band. At $1,639/mo against $79,874 in median household income, the typical renter spends about 25% of income on housing — right inside the standard 30%-of-income guideline. Median home value sits around $378,700.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Climate is four-season — summer averages around 75°F, winter averages around 38°F. Precipitation totals about 39 inches a year. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests. AQI runs about 45 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
Lacey doesn't obviously fit families. The profile-weighted score is 53/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is climate (96/100); the soft spot is affordability (39/100).
Lacey reads as a moderate fit for retirees. The profile-weighted score is 60/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is climate (96/100); the soft spot is affordability (39/100).
Lacey reads as a moderate fit for remote workers. The profile-weighted score is 56/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is climate (96/100); the soft spot is affordability (39/100).
Lacey doesn't obviously fit young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 54/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is climate (96/100); the soft spot is affordability (39/100).
Our overall score for Lacey is 57/100 — a C, sitting at #224 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, Lacey sits at 108 — moderate, 8% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,639 a month.
Lacey runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 75°F, winter's near 38°F; 39 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 42/100. You'll need a car for most things, though the central core is more walkable than the citywide score suggests.
Roughly 56,263 people live here, with 32% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 37.
Drop Lacey into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare Lacey with other Washington cities scored on UrbRank.
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