What it's like to live in Tacoma
Tacoma is a large city in Washington with schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Tacoma deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and commute times longer than most cities.
The good
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- Above-average commute times
- Below-average hospital ratings
- High rent burden for renters
How Tacoma compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Tacoma
Based on Tacoma's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,352
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,040 a year
- 53% of Tacoma renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$95,920
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $47,960
- Homes cost 5.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 19% above US
$1,676/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,676 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $479,600. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $479,600 · 53% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 14% above US
4.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 163% above US
866 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 4028/100k · Tacoma Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 11% above US
29 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 28.8 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 75°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
4 hospitals
There are 4 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
72 public schools inside the boundary
There are 72 public schools inside the boundary and 13 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (25 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Nothing in Tacoma's numbers stands out as a clear strength, and the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,676/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home).
Other places near Tacoma
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