Roy, Washington, 2006
Roy’s story
142 years in pictures
Census counts: 315 in 1910, a low of 258 in 1990, 816 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 4 maps from 1940 on.
- 1884Roy is settled
RoyWA
Photo: Steven Pavlov · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
795
2025 Census estimate · −2.3% since 2020
Typical home
$613K
+0.1% in a year
Household income
$99K
median
Median age
36.1
years
Jobs based here
92
A commuter town
Is Roy a good place to live?
Roy has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Roy stand out
Where Roy beats most towns.
Small town
795 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Nearby attractions
All 143 attractions →Tacoma Dome and 41 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Roy. Close and well known come first.
18 mi Stadium & arenaTacoma Dome
25 mi National ParkMount Rainier National Park1.6M visitors a year
22 mi Theme parkWild Waves Theme Park
38 mi MuseumThe Museum of Flight400K visitors a year
40 mi MuseumUSS Turner Joy
17 mi Stadium & arenaCheney StadiumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Tacoma Dome: Broran28, Public domain · Mount Rainier National Park: Ricardo Martins from Gent, Belgium, CC BY 2.0 · Wild Waves Theme Park: Jessica Spengler from Hove, United Kingdom, CC BY 2.0 · The Museum of Flight: Fawcett5 at English Wikipedia, Public domain · USS Turner Joy: Keysgoclick, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Cheney Stadium: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Roy: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Roy, and how to reach them.
PowerPuget Sound Energy17.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterCity of Roy water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offYelm Waste Transfer Station, 4 miOpenStreetMap
Register to voteOnlineIn Washington you can register online until 8 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 8 days before).vote.govWho runs elections herePierce County AuditorPierce County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2024
ZIP code9858098580 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Roy.
Work & commute
In Roy, the average trip to work runs longer than in the typical Washington or U.S. town
Roy: 0.3% of working residents work locally, where Washington’s towns sit at 4.9% and U.S. towns at 8%. Half commute less than 18 miles. The top destinations are Tacoma (14%), Seattle (8%) and Spanaway (8%).
0%work in town
| Roy | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 41 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 0.3% | 4.9% | 8% |
| Median household income | $99,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 7.9% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Roy0%
Tacoma14%
Seattle8%
Spanaway8%
Olympia3%
18 mi
median commute distance
92
jobs based in Roy
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Schools
The schools Roy’s kids attend
Its one school is below. The Bethel School District runs its public schools. Enrollment at Roy’s public school: 285 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roy ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 285 | – |
NCES · EDFacts
Natural hazards
Roy faces a high natural-hazard risk, led by earthquakes
Roy’s FEMA risk score is 78 of 100, above both Washington’s towns (69 of 100) and U.S. towns (44 of 100). FEMA puts 52% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to earthquakes, and 39% to inland flooding. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2025.
78risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
EarthquakesInland flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Roy has mild winters and pleasant summers
The typical July afternoon high for Roy comes to 78°F.
4″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter35–47°
Spring41–60°
Summer52–75°
Fall43–61°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 29
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Safety
Crime reported in Roy
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown. 8 crimes were reported in Roy in 2024: 4 property and 4 violent.
Roy is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
4
violent crimes reported in 2024
4
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Health
How healthy Roy is
In Roy, 37% of adults have obesity. On the CDC’s 31 measures, Roy is ahead of Washington on 2 and behind on 7. Among adults locally, 29% have been diagnosed with depression and 19% binge drink.
| Roy | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 71% | 79% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 26% | 23% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 17% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 17% |
31 measures vs. Washington
2 better22 too close to call7 worse
| What stands out | Roy | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| More adults sleeping under 7 hours | 38.3% | 31.8% |
Madigan Amc (Ft Lewis)
8.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Housing
A home in Roy is worth about $613K, on Zillow’s estimate
For Roy, the median rent is $2,227 a month. Roy: 92% of households own their home.
$613KZillow home value
| Roy | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,227 a month | $1,739 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 92% | 71% | 73% |
Typical home value
Roy$613K
Washington$588K
+0.1%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0.5%conserved
0.5%
conserved · 2 of 309 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Roy City Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Roy
20pages on Roy
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
4 within 15 miles of the center of Roy
Pacific Lutheran UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Tacoma11.7 mi$52,254 tuitionPierce College DistrictCommunity college · Public · Lakewood12.7 mi$5,418 in-state tuitionClover Park Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Lakewood13 mi$6,634 in-state tuition
About 8 of every 100 Roy residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave Roy for work
Where Roy’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
92jobs based in Roy
0%of working residents work in town
18 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Roy
City in Washington, United States
Roy is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 816 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 322 ft
- ZIP code
- 98580
- Area code
- 253
Questions about Roy
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Roy, WA a good place to live?
Roy has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.