Tacoma, WA

Census Place

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2021 Population

217,332

0.726% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2021 Median Age

36.7

1.94% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

12.5%

9.76% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$69,956

8.53% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$347,100

11.4% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

109,567

1.3% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Tacoma, WA had a population of 217k people with a median age of 36.7 and a median household income of $69,956. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Tacoma, WA grew from 215,766 to 217,332, a 0.726% increase and its median household income grew from $64,457 to $69,956, a 8.53% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Tacoma, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (57%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (10.3%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (9.15%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (8.6%), and White (Hispanic) (4.9%).

None of the households in Tacoma, WA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

94.5% of the residents in Tacoma, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Tacoma, WA are University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (2,029 degrees awarded in 2021), Tacoma Community College (1,736 degrees), and Bates Technical College (797 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Tacoma, WA was $347,100, and the homeownership rate was 55.6%.

Most people in Tacoma, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Tacoma, WA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: This is the outside of the "hot shop", at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma. The cone design was inspired by the wood "beehive burners" of the sawmills that once lined the waterways of Tacoma. It is made of 2,800 diamond-shaped stainless steel panels.

Photo by Sheila Sund

United States Washington Pierce County, WA Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Tacoma City (Central) PUMA, WA Peninsula Region & Tacoma City (West) PUMA, WA Lakewood City & Joint Base Lewis-McChord PUMA, WA Tacoma City (South), Parkland & Spanaway PUMA, WA Tacoma (Port) & Bonney Lake (Northwest) Cities PUMA, WA

Population & Diversity

Tacoma, WA is home to a population of 217k people, from which 94.5% are citizens. As of 2021, 12.5% of Tacoma, WA residents were born outside of the country (27.1k people).

In 2021, there were 5.51 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (124k people) in Tacoma, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 22.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 19.9k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.5%

2021 Citizenship

94.3%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 94.5% of Tacoma, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Tacoma, WA was 94.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Tacoma, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Tacoma, WA

White (Non-Hispanic)
124k ± 2.13k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
22.5k ± 1.51k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
19.9k ± 1.34k

12.2%

Hispanic Population

26.4k people

12.2% of the people in Tacoma, WA are hispanic (26.4k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Tacoma, WA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Washington.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
242,407 ± 11,894 people
India
95,173 ± 7,527 people
China
81,169 ± 6,957 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 242,407 Washington residents, followed by India with 95,173 and China with 81,169.

Foreign-Born Population

12.5%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

27.1k people

12.1%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

26.1k people

As of 2021, 12.5% of Tacoma, WA residents (27.1k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Tacoma, WA was 12.1%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Tacoma, WA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Gulf War (2001-)
5,844 ± 768
Vietnam
4,873 ± 508
Gulf War (1990s)
3,058 ± 502

Tacoma, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.2 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Tacoma, WA employs 110k people. The largest industries in Tacoma, WA are Health Care & Social Assistance (17,241 people), Retail Trade (12,466 people), and Educational Services (9,975 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($90,062), Public Administration ($69,878), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($62,063).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $65,962. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.468, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

110k

2021 Value

± 2,662

1.3%

1 Year growth

± 3.4%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Tacoma, WA grew at a rate of 1.3%, from 108k employees to 110k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Tacoma, WA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,827 people), Sales & Related Occupations (9,858 people), and Management Occupations (9,438 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Tacoma, WA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Washington (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

110k

2021 Value

± 2,662

1.3%

1 Year growth

± 3.4%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Tacoma, WA grew at a rate of 1.3%, from 108k employees to 110k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Tacoma, WA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (17,241 people), Retail Trade (12,466 people), and Educational Services (9,975 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Tacoma, WA, though some of these residents may live in Tacoma, WA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$48,478

Median earning men ± $1,777

$39,758

Median earning women ± $1,445

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Public Administration ($76,763), Construction ($58,987), and Manufacturing ($56,574).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Construction ($61,652), Information ($60,982), and Public Administration ($59,716).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Washington. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Washington.

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Washington product (by dollars) was Misc. mfg. prods. with $42.2B, followed by Mixed freight ($36.4B) and Electronics ($33.3B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Washington products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Washington.

$416B

2020 Value in Washington

$982B

Projected 2050 Value in Washington

136% growth

In 2020, total outbound Washington trade was $416B. This is expected to increase 136% to $982B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Washington trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Washington to other states, or from other states to Washington.

Most Common Trade Partners

Oregon
$34.7B
California
$26.5B
Texas
$12.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Washington domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Oregon with $34.7B, followed by California with $26.5B and Texas and $12.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Washington shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 58% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.97%).

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing the state of Washington. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Tacoma, WA. Showing the available data for Washington.

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (58%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (38.8%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.97%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Washington went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 58% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (38.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.97%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Washington for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Washington

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Patty Murray

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 1993

Maria Cantwell

Senator from Washington

Assumed office on January 3, 2001

Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell are the senators currently representing Washington.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Washington over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Washington

Washington is currently represented by 10 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Washington have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Tacoma, WA awarded 5,521 degrees. The student population of Tacoma, WA in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 7,796 male students and 9,329 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Tacoma, WA are White (2,705 and 51%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (670 and 12.6%), Asian (619 and 11.7%), and Two or More Races (434 and 8.18%).

The largest universities in Tacoma, WA by number of degrees awarded are University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (2,029 and 36.8%), Tacoma Community College (1,736 and 31.4%), and Bates Technical College (797 and 14.4%).

The most popular majors in Tacoma, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (634 and 11.5%), General Computer & Information Sciences (237 and 4.29%), and General Business Administration & Management (232 and 4.2%).

The median tuition costs in Tacoma, WA are $33,095 for private four year colleges, and $7,707 and $24,353 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Tacoma, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 86.6%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 16.5%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 17,125 (45.5% men and 54.5% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 17,125 students enrolled in Tacoma, WA, 45.5% men and 54.5% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 8,106 records, of which 55.3% were women and 44.7% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Psychology
203 degrees awarded
General Computer & Information Sciences
191 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
173 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Tacoma, WA was General Psychology with 203 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Tacoma, WA according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Washington-Tacoma Campus
2,029 degrees awarded
Tacoma Community College
1,736 degrees awarded
Bates Technical College
797 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Washington-Tacoma Campus with 2,029 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 2,147 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Tacoma, WA, which is 0.636 times less than the 3,374 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,705 degrees mean that there were 4.04 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 670 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($33,095) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,440) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,041) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Measure

In 2021, 0.864% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.881% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Washington.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were Some college (1.41M), High School or Equivalent (1.38M), and Bachelors Degree (1.29M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Tacoma, WA was $347,100 in 2021, which is 1.42 times larger than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $311,700 to $347,100, a 11.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Tacoma, WA is 55.6%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Tacoma, WA have an average commute time of 30.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Tacoma, WA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Tacoma, WA is $69,956. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Tacoma, WA was Census Tract 605 with a value of $150,000, followed by Census Tract 9400.11 and Census Tract 9400.01, with respective values of $132,159 and $125,441.

Housing

Property

$347,100

Median Property Value 2021

±$5,071

$48,625

Median Property Taxes

±$1,602

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Tacoma, WA the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Tacoma, WA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

55.6%

Homeownership

2021

64.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 55.6% of the housing units in Tacoma, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 53.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Tacoma, WA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 605
Census Tract 9400.11
Census Tract 9400.01

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Tacoma, WA was Census Tract 605 with a value of $150,000, followed by Census Tract 9400.11 and Census Tract 9400.01, with respective values of $132,159 and $125,441.

The following map shows all of the places in Tacoma, WA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$69,956

Median Household Income

± $2,358

87.4k

Number of Households

± 2,330

In 2021, the median household income of the 87.4k households in Tacoma, WA grew to $69,956 from the previous year's value of $64,457.

The following chart displays the households in Tacoma, WA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Tacoma, WA is from Washington.

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Washington

0.466

2020 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2021, the income inequality in Washington was 0.468 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.488% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Washington was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Washington in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Washington across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (69.9%)
Carpooled (10.3%)
Worked At Home (9.91%)

In 2021, 69.9% of workers in Tacoma, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (10.3%) and those who worked at home (9.91%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

30.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Tacoma, WA have a longer commute time (30.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 5.34% of the workforce in Tacoma, WA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Tacoma, WA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Tacoma, WA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Tacoma, WA have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Tacoma, WA (26.6k out of 213k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 35 - 44 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Tacoma, WA is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93.1% of the population of Tacoma, WA has health coverage, with 47.5% on employee plans, 21.6% on Medicaid, 8.81% on Medicare, 12.5% on non-group plans, and 2.6% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Pierce County, WA see 1335 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.05% decrease from the previous year (1363 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1209 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 189 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Pierce County, WA.

1,335 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Pierce County, WA

Primary care physicians in Pierce County, WA see an average of 1,335 patients per year. This represents a 2.05% decrease from the previous year (1,363 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Pierce County, WA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.3% under 18 years, 24.5% between 18 and 34 years, 39.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 13.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.7% were men and 50.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.94%

Uninsured

47.5%

Employer Coverage

21.6%

Medicaid

8.81%

Medicare

12.5%

Non-Group

2.6%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Tacoma, WA grew by 4.15% from 6.67% to 6.94%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Tacoma, WA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.