Population 951 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ruston
Household size in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.41 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.22 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.34 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.81 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.60 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Ruston is a place of small households, averaging 1.81 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.41, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.0 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.9 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.4 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +14.1 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Ruston skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.4, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.9% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | −6.8 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Ruston: 4.9% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ruston
Renters in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.9% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 42.1% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.9% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 41.7% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +11.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over four in ten households in Ruston rent their homes (41.7%), above the national share of 34.8%. That is in line with the rest of the Seattle area. More than a third of owners (36.2%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.8% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.6% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 3.7% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Ruston: just 3.7% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1964 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1966 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +17 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
The typical home in Ruston was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980).
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,103 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,163 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,186 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,022 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$919 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ruston costs $2,022 a month with utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Locally, though, rents here are lower than in the Seattle area overall ($2,193). Rent takes 28.5% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ruston
Bachelor's degrees in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.0% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.7% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.6% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 50.0% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +20.0 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Ruston is highly educated: about half of adults 25 and older (50.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.6% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.9% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.9% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.5% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Ruston: 98.5% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.7% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.0% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.5% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.0% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Ruston has been low: just 1.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ruston compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruston | 1.81 | 48.4 | 4.9% | 41.7% | 3.7% | 1981 | $2,022 | 50.0% | 98.5% | 1.0% |
| Fircrest | 2.49 | 44.9 | 9.7% | 26.7% | 3.1% | 1972 | $1,628 | 49.6% | 98.3% | 6.2% |
| Artondale | 2.63 | 44.9 | 4.6% | 13.9% | 4.2% | 1989 | $2,280 | 56.1% | 98.0% | 2.5% |
| University Place | 2.59 | 40.1 | 9.3% | 44.6% | 5.9% | 1980 | $1,987 | 41.2% | 95.3% | 5.0% |
| Tacoma | 2.49 | 38.3 | 13.5% | 41.9% | 5.6% | 1968 | $1,845 | 32.6% | 90.2% | 6.2% |
| Gig Harbor | 2.51 | 45.2 | 6.6% | 20.4% | 4.8% | 1993 | $2,177 | 46.9% | 96.9% | 4.7% |
| Fox Island | 2.40 | 52.7 | 5.0% | 7.3% | 11.6% | 1991 | $1,799 | 49.9% | 94.8% | 3.5% |
| Federal Way | 2.85 | 38.4 | 11.9% | 44.3% | 6.9% | 1984 | $1,910 | 29.6% | 88.9% | 5.6% |
| Vashon | 2.37 | 51.8 | 5.3% | 17.3% | 21.6% | 1974 | $1,600 | 50.7% | 97.4% | 6.0% |
| Fife | 2.86 | 31.6 | 11.7% | 50.9% | 6.5% | 1998 | $2,226 | 29.7% | 91.4% | 4.1% |
| Lakewood | 2.43 | 39.5 | 12.1% | 52.9% | 8.8% | 1976 | $1,672 | 23.4% | 88.2% | 5.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Donaldson, IN · Viburnum, MO · Veazey, GA · Enid, MS · Embarrass, WI · Elliottville, KY · Elk Horn, IA · Eagle Lake, ME · Dunnville, KY · Drummond Island, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ruston. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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