Lacey vs University Place
Lacey, Washington versus University Place, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lacey and University Place score about the same overall (51 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lacey | University Place |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $80k | $90k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $379k | $510k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 1.12% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.29% | 9.49% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 40°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 65°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 54.0 in | 43.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.9 in | 0.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 187 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 52°F | 52°F |
| Comfortable Days | 99 days | 109 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 81.5 | 60.6 |
| Air Quality | 36 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 73.2 | 62.4 |
| Violent Crime | 893/100k | 588/100k |
| Property Crime | 3455/100k | 2947/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 56,263 | 34,696 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 38.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.55 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 62.8% | 61.7% |
| Black (%) | 5.3% | 7.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.2% | 11.3% |
| Asian (%) | 9.4% | 11.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 10.2% | 9.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 13.6/20 | 12.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 36 mi | 20 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.9% | 95.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 51.90 | 144.11 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lacey or University Place more affordable?
- University Place has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Lacey's $55k and University Place's $55k. Median rent is $2k in Lacey versus $2k in University Place.
- Is Lacey or University Place safer?
- University Place has the lower violent crime rate. Lacey reports 893/100k and University Place reports 588/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lacey or University Place?
- The median home value is $379k in Lacey and $510k in University Place, so homes are more affordable in Lacey.