City profile · Washington · Census ACS 2023

Tacoma, WA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Tacoma - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

220,482
Residents
$83,857
Median income
$454,600
Median home
$1,971
Median rent (state)

Tacoma - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Tacoma places in the 65th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

65th
percentile, household income
82nd
percentile, home value
82nd
percentile, median rent
1st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Tacoma, WA

Washington's Tacoma is a mid-sized U.S. city, with 220,482 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $83,857 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.6%. Tacoma's housing stock carries a median value of $454,600, and the median resident age is 37.3 years. About 33.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 61.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 402 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 63% from five years earlier. Tacoma's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 6666.6 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Washington carries a cost-of-living premium: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Washington scores 107.0 (Above Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,971 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Washington run around $188, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Tacoma report an average commute of 25.1 minutes, with 67.1% driving alone and 13.7% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

220,482 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Washington

Median Household Income

$83,857 /yr

Poverty 7.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

107.0 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Washington average

How does Tacoma compare to other US cities?

Here's how Tacoma stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 65% higher than other cities
Home value 82% pricier than other cities
Median rent 82% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Washington and the picture shifts: Tacoma ranks #153 of 156 Washington cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Tacoma against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Washington only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Washington-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of Washington's city distribution

Among the 599 Washington cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Tacoma ranks #189 - the 68th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Tacoma only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#287 of 565
49th percentile in Washington
Median Gross Rent
#153 of 599
66th percentile in Washington
Median Home Value
#242 of 565
57th percentile in Washington
Poverty Rate
#233 of 598
61st percentile in Washington
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#189 of 599
68th percentile in Washington

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Washington only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

65thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

65th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Tacoma's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Tacoma's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 28 Avg. percentile National median
Tacoma's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Tacoma's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$454,600 18th percentile more affordable than 18% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Tacoma $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Tacoma, WA Tacoma, WA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Tacoma, WA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Tacoma, WA median $83,857/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Tacoma, WA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Tacoma, WA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
220,482
Median Income
$83,857
Median Home Value
$454,600
Median Age
37.3
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Labor force participation
61.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6666.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1063.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5603.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
94
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
215,000 residents220,000 residents225,000 residents230,000 residents235,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 220,182 residents 229,816 residents ▲ +4.4%
Tacoma's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
402
housing units authorized
Single-Family
137
detached homes
Multifamily
265
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,076
2020 932
2021 2,470
2022 1,540
2023 692
2024 402

Permit volume decreased 63% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.1 minutes
Drive Alone
67.1%
Carpool
10.2%
Public Transit
4.7%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
13.7%
Other
1.7%

Based on 111,538 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Washington - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$85
avg/month
Natural Gas
$48
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$55
avg/month
Total Utilities
$188
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Washington state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Washington state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Tacoma sits in

Cost of Living Index
107.0
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,971/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Washington

Spokane
229,228 people
Vancouver
192,696 people
Bellevue
151,199 people
Kent
135,015 people
Everett
111,083 people
Spokane Valley
105,460 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Tacoma's 220,482 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Port St. Lucie, FL
220,453 people
Spring Valley, NV
219,913 people
San Bernardino, CA
221,774 people
Hialeah, FL
221,901 people
Huntsville, AL
218,814 people
Modesto, CA
218,614 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Tacoma's $83,857 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Exeter, NH
$83,862 median income
Ali Molina, AZ
$83,864 median income
Ucon, ID
$83,864 median income
Ponderosa Pine, NM
$83,864 median income
Barton, NM
$83,849 median income
Lake Worth, TX
$83,869 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Tacoma, WA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Tacoma, WA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 59.4% 10.5% 8.8% 14.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.1% White 59.4% Black or African American 10.5% Asian 8.8% American Indian 1.6% Native Hawaiian 0.9% Some other race 4.5% Two or more races 14.3% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Tacoma compares to nearby Washington cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Tacoma (this city) 220,482 $83,857
Spokane 229,228 $65,745
Vancouver 192,696 $78,156
Bellevue 151,199 $161,300
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Tacoma, WA?

What is the population of Tacoma, WA? +

Tacoma, WA has a population of 220,482 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Tacoma, WA? +

In Tacoma, the typical household earns $83,857 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Tacoma? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Tacoma; the closest available measure is the Washington state average, a cost of living index of 107.0 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Washington vary by metro area.

Is Tacoma, WA safe? +

Tacoma has a total crime rate of 6666.6 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Tacoma, WA? +

A typical home in Tacoma is worth $454,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.