Lacey is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Olympia with a population of 53,526 at the 2020 census, making it the 24th most populous city in Washington. Lacey is located along Interstate 5 between Olympia and the Nisqually River, which marks the border with Pierce County and Joint Base Lewis–McChord.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Lacey ranks

All →

#38Highest graduation rate in WA #55Fastest growing in WA #68Most walkable in WA All WA rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code98503, 98509

Area code360

Living in Lacey

Housing in Lacey

$510K≈ same as a year ago Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Lacey home is worth about $510,000, about the same as a year ago, 14% below the Washington typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market12

Sale-to-list100.5%

Sold in May63

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Lacey

Safety Grade C

Lacey reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 75% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Lacey 2.2

Washington 2.9

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Lacey 19.1

Washington 20.2

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Work & commute in Lacey

Full picture →

Most working residents leave Lacey for work: only 17% work in town. The top destinations are Olympia (22%), Tumwater (8%) and Seattle (7%). Half commute less than 9 miles.

Olympia

22%

Tumwater

Seattle

Tacoma

17%Work in townlive and work in Lacey 9 miWhere do people commute?the commute map 27,276Jobs based herebalanced

Census LEHD 2023 · ACSWork & commute in Lacey →

Health in Lacey

B⁺

Health Grade B+

Healthier than 74% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates.

Compared with Washington

1better than WA·4worse

of 26 measures CDC estimates. The other 21 are too close to call.

Conditions 2▼ 10 close Habits 1▲ 1▼ 2 close Care 1▼ 6 close Mind all close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

14.3%Fewer binge drinkersWA 16.6% · better 27.3%More adults with arthritisWA 24.4% · worse

Care nearby

Providence St. Peter HospitalOlympia · 2.3 mi · ER

Sea Mar Chc - Lacey Woodland Square LoopLacey · 1.2 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · part of Lacey

DentalShortage · part of Lacey

Mental healthShortage · part of Lacey

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Lacey · CMS · HRSAHealth in Lacey →

Natural hazards in Lacey

High

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 75% of U.S. communities.

🏚️ Earthquakes🌊 Inland flooding

1Does Lacey flood?paid flood claims since 1999 9Disasters that paid out herefederal disasters sent FEMA money to Lacey MapLacey vs. its neighborsnearby towns shaded by rating

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025 · OpenFEMANatural hazards in Lacey →

Climate in Lacey

Full climate →

Lacey has mild winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 78°, a January night drops to 35°, and about 4 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.

47° / 34°Winter

60° / 41°Spring

76° / 52°Summer

61° / 43°Fall

How much snow does Lacey get?About 4 inches a winter.Rain & snow →When is the first frost?Around Oct 14, with the last in spring around Apr 29.Frost dates →Is it warmer than it used to be?+0.8° vs. the 20th century.Then & now →

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Climate in Lacey →

Schools in Lacey

All Lacey schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Lacey’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 71% of Washington’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

DistrictNorth Thurston Public SchoolsSchools24

Mountain View ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 776 students Horizons ElementaryElementary · Grades K–5 · 580 students Lakes Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 495 students Chambers Prairie Elementary SchoolElementary · Grades K–5 · 490 students Woodland ElementaryElementary · Grades PK–5 · 458 students Lacey ElementaryElementary · Grades K–5 · 368 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within WA. Ratings are from neighbors.