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Point Ruston

RustonWA

A town of 1,245. Safer than 1% of U.S. towns.

Photo: Turtleey · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,245
+40.9% since 2010
Typical home
$763K
+4.7% in a year
Household income
$116K
median
Median age
44.5
years
Jobs based here
627
Balanced

What makes Ruston stand out

The 3 things Ruston does most differently from other towns.

Picked automatically from the data
Small town

1,245 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns

Ruston’s report card

See the data ↓

Now in Ruston

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Live in Ruston? Is a D− for safety right?
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55°
Cloudy
H 60° · L 49°

Upcoming events

Nothing on the calendar.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Ruston. Another town gets a different order.

Safety

Less crime per resident than 1% of U.S. towns

Ruston reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less.

D−Safety Grade

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Ruston7.6
Washington2.9
U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Ruston24.9
Washington20.2
U.S.15.5
1st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2nd
percentile among WA towns
8
violent crimes reported in 2025
26
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeFull safety report →
Health

Healthier than 85% of U.S. towns

Ruston beats the Washington average on 6 of 26 CDC measures and trails it on 5.

A−Health Grade
26 measures vs. Washington
6 better15 too close to call5 worse
What stands outRustonWA
Fewer uninsured adults5.1%8.4%
More adults seeing a dentist74.2%67%
More adults who have had cancer10.2%7.9%
Mary Bridge Children's Hospital
3.7 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
72nd
percentile among WA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSAFull health report →
Natural hazards

High risk, with earthquakes at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 79% of U.S. communities.

79risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
79High riskLowerHigher
EarthquakesInland floodingTsunamis
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMANatural hazards →
Housing

A typical Ruston home is worth about $763K

The typical Ruston home is worth about $763,000, up 4.7% in a year, 29% above the Washington typical home.

$763KZillow home value

Typical home value

Ruston$763K
Washington$592K
+4.7%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in April
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →
Climate

Mild winters, pleasant summers

Ruston has mild winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 77°, a January night drops to 36°, and snow is almost unheard of.

77°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter36–48°
Spring42–60°
Summer54–75°
Fall45–61°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 11
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
77°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020Full climate →
Work & commute

Most working residents commute out of Ruston

Most working residents leave Ruston for work: only 1% work in town. The top destinations are Tacoma (34%), Seattle (10%) and Lakewood (6%). Half commute less than 10 miles.

1%work in town

Where working residents work

In Ruston1%
Tacoma34%
Seattle10%
Lakewood6%
Federal Way4%
10 mi
median commute distance
627
jobs based in Ruston
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACSCommute map →
Outdoors

1% of Ruston is conserved land

0.2 miles of trails across 1 parks and preserves.

1%conserved
Map of Ruston: conserved land, trails and the top places to walk
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below
1%
conserved · 2 of 166 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.7 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Rust Park—7
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-USParks & trails →
Nelson Bennet Tunnel
c. 1913 · Nelson Bennet Tunnel · Wikimedia Commons
Ruston’s story

Ruston in pictures

6 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives, and 1 places on the National Register.

CHILDREN PLAY IN YARD OF RUSTON HOME, WHILE TACOMA SMELTER STACK SHOWERS AREA WITH ARSENIC AND LEAD RESIDUETACOMA SMELTER AT RUSTON CONTRIBUTES TO THE CITY'S AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMSTACOMA SMELTER IN RUSTON IS AN AIR POLLUTING FACTOR
Explore the history →

About Ruston

City in Washington, United States

Official town website ↗

Ruston is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,055 at the 2020 census. Although it is nearly indistinguishable from the adjacent city of Tacoma, the predominantly residential area still retains its status as a separate municipality long after it ceased to be a company town. The local government opted to reclassify Ruston as a city in late 2012.

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

Population
1,055
Area
0.3 sq mi
Elevation
43 ft
Area code
253

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Photo of Ruston

Ruston, WA · Photo: Turtleey · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source ↗