Tacoma WA
Washington · Pop. 222,758
Tacoma, WA: median household income of $85,884, median rent of $1,676/mo, 5.6% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$85,884
per year
Median Rent
$1,676
per month
Median Home
$480k
home value
Unemployment
5.6%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
12.4%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
29 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Tacoma, WA Reality Check"
In Tacoma, the rent-to-income burden runs around 23% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $85,884 and median rent is $1,676/month. 53% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $479,600 — that's 5.6× the median income. Employment picture: 5.57% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 12.4%. Average commute: 29 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 93.9/100k avg monthly rate (9911 reported); Property crime: 553/100k avg monthly rate (58400 reported). Tacoma was founded in 1875 — that's 151 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 62.4 sq miles at 3,569 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 200 ft — modest elevation. Tacoma has 13 sister cities — cosmopolitan on paper, at least. RoastMyCity overall score: 60/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 93.9/100k avg monthly rate (9911 reported); Property crime: 553/100k avg monthly rate (58400 reported).