Puyallup, WA
Census place 5356695 · pop 42,746
Home of the Washington State Fair, one of the largest fairs in the country, plus the annual Daffodil Festival.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide. No wage income tax (a capital-gains excise applies).
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
31 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities
99/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$551,800 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
52.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,204/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.6% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
36.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 42 AQI · worse than most cities
44 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
29.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.90% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+4.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
12.0% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
8.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
94.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$97,826 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
7.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
19.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.39 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
Not measured for Puyallup: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Puyallup, WA a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Puyallup scores 44/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is income inequality and its weakest is commute time. Washington overall ranks #24 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Puyallup, WA expensive to live in?
- Puyallup has a median home value of $551,800 and typical rent around $2,204/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Puyallup, WA?
- Its weakest measured area is commute time (31 min) — 12/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Puyallup, WA best at?
- Its strongest measured area is income inequality (0.39) — 83/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of the Washington State Fair, one of the largest fairs in the country, plus the annual Daffodil Festival.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.