Ruston

Ruston is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,055 at the 2020 census.^[2]

Although it is nearly indistinguishable from the adjacent city of Tacoma, the predominantly residential area still retains its status as a separate municipality long after it ceased to be a company town.^[4] The local government opted to reclassify Ruston as a city in late 2012.

In 1890 industrialist W.R. Rust established Tacoma Smelting & Refining Company and a company town for his employees, naming the place "Smelter".^[5] On October 22, 1906, residents voted to change the name to Ruston, in honor of Mr. Rust.^[6] Ruston was officially incorporated on November 10, 1906. It is surrounded on one side by Commencement Bay and all other sides the city of Tacoma. The primary industry for decades was the ASARCO copper smelting plant on the waterfront. The smelter and its landmark smokestack, however, were demolished in 1993. A massive Superfund cleanup at the site has been underway since the early 1990s. This area has been renamed "Point Ruston", as a large residential and commercial center on the waterfront is under construction as of 2017, which could add over 1,000 residents to the city.

The Ruston town council passed a measure to become a noncharter code city under Washington law in late 2012. Officials indicated that the "Town of Ruston" moniker will continue to be used, however

Ruston is located at 47°17′49″N 122°30′38″W (47.296906, -122.510513).^[9] It is surrounded on three sides by the city of Tacoma. To the north is Puget Sound.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.34 square miles (0.88 km²), of which, 0.26 square miles (0.67 km²) is land and 0.08 square miles (0.21 km²) is water

As of the census^[12] of 2010, there were 749 people, 336 households, and 194 families living in the town. The population density was 2,880.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,112.3/km²). There were 430 housing units at an average density of 1,653.8 per square mile (638.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 87.0% White, 2.9% African American, 1.1% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.7% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.0% of the population.

There were 336 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.78.

The median age in the town was 39.5 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.6% were from 25 to 44; 31.7% were from 45 to 64; and 10% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the town was 48.7% male and 51.3% female.