| Index | Lacey | Washington | National |
| Cost of living | 122 | 119 | 100 |
| Groceries | 106 | 107 | 100 |
| Health care | 111 | 109 | 100 |
| Housing | 153 | 138 | 100 |
| Transportation | 109 | 112 | 100 |
| Utilities | 108 | 110 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 109 | 112 | 100 |
| Household Items | 107 | 107 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 118 | 117 | 100 |
Knowing the cost of living in Lacey allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Lacey stands at 122, marking it 22% higher than the national average.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Lacey may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Lacey falls within this bracket.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Lacey cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 53% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
Nobody knows their city better than the people who actually live there. So, we asked 8 local residents how they would rate the cost of living in Lacey and this is how they responded. 25% of people said that the cost of living was affordable, with prices decreasing, while 75% of people said that the cost of living was very expensive and prices continue to rise.
Is Lacey affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Lacey, for instance, where the median home price falls 55.8% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 46.7% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Lacey flaunting a median household income of $104,634, 28.6% higher than the national norm.
Housing: When everyone's vying for homes in popular areas, it drives up property prices and rents, making the overall cost of living surge. On the flip side, in less sought-after locales, where housing demand is low, prices tend to dip, resulting in a more economical cost of living. In Lacey, the housing index comes in at 53% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.
Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Lacey, the groceries index is 6.4% higher than the national average.
The Lacey cost of living data above is designed around a U.S. average baseline of 100, allowing for easy comparisons of relative living costs. Housing incorporates U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all other figures are AI-assisted estimates that account for regional price trends, climate, transportation dynamics, and common everyday expenses. These values are best used as directional city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $132,794 | $11,066 | $3,098 | $3,984 |
| Renters | $78,320 | $6,527 | $1,827 | $2,350 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Washington | 6.5% | 10.4% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Washington | 0% | 0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Ketron Island, WA | 0 | 110 | 10.2% |
| North Yelm, WA | 3,847 | 106 | 6.3% |
| Shelton, WA | 10,858 | 108 | 7.8% |
| Tenino, WA | 1,807 | 109 | 8.6% |
| Nisqually Indian Community, WA | 603 | 112 | 12.1% |
| Lacey, WA | 52,421 | 122 | 22.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Florissant, MO | 52,517 | 89 | 11.2% |
| Madison, AL | 52,584 | 106 | 5.9% |
| Collierville, TN | 52,243 | 119 | 18.6% |
| Battle Creek, MI | 52,232 | 85 | 15.1% |
| Catalina Foothills, AZ | 52,225 | 135 | 34.8% |
| Lacey, WA | 52,421 | 122 | 22.5% |
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