Tacoma appears moderately affordable relative to its citywide income and housing benchmarks. With a median household income of $85,884, the median gross rent of $1,676 represents about 23.4% of monthly income, which falls within a range often considered manageable. However, the uniform non-housing calculator baseline of $1,250 per month (a model assumption, not local observation) suggests additional essential costs may strain budgets. Affordability depends on individual circumstances and cannot be generalized across all households.
Tacoma at a glance
What the default budget models
A one-person renting household begins with a modeled annual core-cost baseline of $35,112. It combines the ACS median gross-rent estimate with a uniform $1,250 monthly non-housing baseline. State income tax is excluded until a current official reference is approved; the calculator labels that limitation instead of guessing.
| 2024 ACS population estimate | 222,758 |
| 2024 ACS median household income | $85,884 |
| 2024 ACS median gross rent | $1,676 |
| 2024 ACS median owner-occupied home value | $479,600 |
| Derived one-way commute estimate | 31 minutes |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded — official reference pending |
| Rent-to-income reference | 23% |
The trade-off
Relative strength: Median rent consumes roughly 23% of median income.. Watch closely: lower rent than many west coast cities but offset by moderate incomes and commute times..
Compare Tacoma
Frequently asked questions
Is Tacoma affordable for renters based on 2024 ACS data?
Based on 2024 ACS 5-year data, Tacoma’s median gross rent of $1,676 per month is about 23.4% of the median household income of $85,884. This ratio suggests rent is within a commonly cited affordability threshold, though actual affordability varies by household income, size, and non-housing costs not captured in citywide averages.
How does Tacoma’s median home value compare to its income levels?
Tacoma’s median owner-occupied home value is $479,600, while the median household income is $85,884. This yields a home value-to-income ratio of approximately 5.6, indicating home prices are moderately high relative to local earnings. This ratio alone does not determine affordability, as it depends on interest rates, down payments, and individual financial circumstances.
Source ledger
Every production input below is retained with its publisher and dataset. The ACS figures are five-year estimates, not live listings or guarantees.
- PopulationU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B01003
- Median household incomeU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B19013
- Median gross rentU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25064
- Median owner-occupied home valueU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B25077
- Commute-time distributionU.S. Census Bureau · 2024 ACS 5-Year B08303
Interpretation: The ACS 2024 five-year estimates generally summarize observations across 2020–2024. The commute number is a weighted midpoint estimate from table B08303. State income tax is not included in the modeled take-home result. Verify a current address, quote, commute, and tax situation before making a decision.