Lakewood vs Olympia
Lakewood, Washington versus Olympia, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lakewood and Olympia score about the same overall (47 vs 49 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lakewood | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $66k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $407k | $410k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.95% | 0.95% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.00% | 8.37% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 6.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 40°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 64°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.4 in | 59.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.6 in | 3.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 187 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 52°F | 52°F |
| Comfortable Days | 108 days | 97 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.4 | 96.2 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 35 AQI |
| School Quality | 69.8 | 76.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2076/100k | 1548/100k |
| Property Crime | 5214/100k | 4230/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 63,142 | 55,151 |
| Median Age | 36.2 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.68 | 0.39 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 45.1% | 71.4% |
| Black (%) | 13.7% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.1% | 11.2% |
| Asian (%) | 8.5% | 6.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 14.6% | 8.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 13.7/20 | 14.6/20 |
| Airport Distance | 23 mi | 40 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.6% | 90.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 58.76 | 78.51 |
| 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 Lakewood or Olympia more affordable?
- Olympia has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Lakewood's $55k and Olympia's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Lakewood versus $1k in Olympia.
- Is Lakewood or Olympia safer?
- Olympia has the lower violent crime rate. Lakewood reports 2076/100k and Olympia reports 1548/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lakewood or Olympia?
- The median home value is $407k in Lakewood and $410k in Olympia, so homes are more affordable in Lakewood.