Cost of Living in Lacey
Lacey runs genuinely more affordable than several Puget Sound-proper markets, with a combined sales tax rate lower than most companion King County Tier B markets in this build.
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Learn moreHousing costs run genuinely affordable, with real, disclosed variance
Lacey's median sold price ran $555,000 (up 5.7% YoY) per one citation, while a separate citation put the median home price at a lower $525,000, and Zillow's average home value ran lowest at $516,096 (up 0.3% YoY) -- all disclosed rather than reconciled.
A genuinely lower combined sales tax rate than most King County markets
Lacey's combined 2026 sales tax rate is 9.8% (Washington's 6.5% state base plus a 3.3% city/local component) -- genuinely lower than most companion King County Tier B markets in this build (10.4%-10.6%), though slightly above neighboring Olympia's own 10.0% rate.
Property tax follows the Thurston County countywide rate
Lacey's effective property tax rate runs at approximately 0.88%, the same Thurston County countywide figure documented in this project's companion olympia-wa.js record -- ranked #2 of 39 WA counties by rate.
No state income tax, but a real capital gains excise tax on high earners
Washington has no state individual income tax, but its real, current capital gains excise tax applies to high earners: 7% on long-term gains above an annual threshold, rising to 9.9% above $1 million in gains as of the 2025 expansion.
Key takeaways
- Housing runs genuinely affordable, with a real, disclosed price spread ($516,096-$555,000).
- Lacey's combined 9.8% sales tax rate runs lower than most companion King County Tier B markets in this build.
- Property tax (approximately 0.88% effective) follows the Thurston County countywide rate, ranked #2 of 39 WA counties.
- No state income tax, though a real capital gains excise tax reaches high earners statewide.
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