Signals
Yelm
Lacey
Opportunity
71 · Top 21%
vs70 · Top 23%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 4%
Climate
69 · Bottom 44%
vs69 · Bottom 44%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 33%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs78 · Bottom 20%
Economic stability
79 · Top 10%
vs54 · Bottom 38%
Measured values
| Metric | Yelm | Lacey | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,102 | 57,737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,750 | $90,625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,142 | $42,173 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,910/sq mi | 3,110/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $455,300 | $457,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,626 | $1,870 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.4% | 34.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.1% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 127 | 788 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.4 | 13.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.8% | 141.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.6" | 50.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 38 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 36.2 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.0 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.85 | 17.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.1% | 50.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Yelm
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Lacey
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Yelm, WA · Lacey, WA · How this is calculated: methodology