Tacoma, WA

Census Place

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2022 Population

219,234

0.875% 1-year growth

US Senator

Patty Murray

Democratic Party

US Senator

Maria Cantwell

Democratic Party

2022 Median Age

36.9

0.545% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

12.1%

2.94% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$79,085

13% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$415,300

19.6% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

111,540

1.8% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Tacoma, WA had a population of 219k people with a median age of 36.9 and a median household income of $79,085. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Tacoma, WA grew from 217,332 to 219,234, a 0.875% increase and its median household income grew from $69,956 to $79,085, a 13% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Tacoma, WA are White (Non-Hispanic) (57.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (10.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (9.13%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (8.49%), and White (Hispanic) (4.13%).

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.

94.8% of the residents in Tacoma, WA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Tacoma, WA are University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (1,859 degrees awarded in 2022), Tacoma Community College (1,717 degrees), and Bates Technical College (747 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Tacoma, WA was $415,300, and the homeownership rate was 56.8%.

Most people in Tacoma, WA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.6 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 King County (Far Southwest)--Federal Way, Des Moines Cities & Vashon Island PUMA, WA Tacoma City (North) PUMA, WA Tacoma City (South) PUMA, WA Pierce County (North Central)--Bonney Lake, Edgewood, Fife & Sumner Cities PUMA, WA Pierce County (South Central)--Parkland & Spanaway PUMA, WA Pierce County (West Central)--Lakewood & University Place Cities PUMA, WA

Population & Diversity

Tacoma, WA is home to a population of 219k people, from which 94.8% are citizens. As of 2022, 12.1% of Tacoma, WA residents were born outside of the country (26.5k people).

In 2022, there were 5.67 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (125k people) in Tacoma, WA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 22.1k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 20k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.8%

2022 Citizenship

94.5%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 94.8% of Tacoma, WA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Tacoma, WA was 94.5%, 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)
125k ± 2.28k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
22.1k ± 1.45k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
20k ± 1.69k

12.3%

Hispanic Population

26.9k people

12.3% of the people in Tacoma, WA are hispanic (26.9k 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
244,390 ± 11,943 people
India
101,527 ± 7,771 people
China
86,360 ± 7,174 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Washington was Mexico, the natal country of 244,390 Washington residents, followed by India with 101,527 and China with 86,360.

Foreign-Born Population

12.1%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

26.5k people

12.5%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

27.1k people

As of 2022, 12.1% of Tacoma, WA residents (26.5k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Tacoma, WA was 12.5%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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-)
6,060 ± 689
Vietnam
4,465 ± 499
Gulf War (1990s)
2,735 ± 486

Tacoma, WA has a large population of military personnel who served in Gulf War (2001-), 1.36 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Tacoma, WA employs 112k people. The largest industries in Tacoma, WA are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,908 people), Retail Trade (12,170 people), and Educational Services (10,073 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($97,776), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($90,117), and Public Administration ($76,750).

Males in Washington have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $73,054. The income inequality in Washington (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

112k

2022 Value

± 2,748

1.8%

1 Year growth

± 3.4%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Tacoma, WA grew at a rate of 1.8%, from 110k employees to 112k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Tacoma, WA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,500 people), Management Occupations (10,363 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (9,930 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

112k

2022 Value

± 2,748

1.8%

1 Year growth

± 3.4%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Tacoma, WA grew at a rate of 1.8%, from 110k employees to 112k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Tacoma, WA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,908 people), Retail Trade (12,170 people), and Educational Services (10,073 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

$54,384

Median earning men ± $2,019

$45,629

Median earning women ± $1,203

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Public Administration ($82,846), Information ($68,250), and Construction ($64,191).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Information ($68,920), Public Administration ($68,478), and Construction ($66,023).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

3.62%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 3.58M people employed in Washington. This represents a 3.62% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.3%.

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

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 2022, universities in Tacoma, WA awarded 5,187 degrees. The student population of Tacoma, WA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 8,034 male students and 9,419 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Tacoma, WA are White (2,535 and 50.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (651 and 13%), Asian (639 and 12.8%), and Two or More Races (453 and 9.05%).

The largest universities in Tacoma, WA by number of degrees awarded are University of Washington-Tacoma Campus (1,859 and 35.8%), Tacoma Community College (1,717 and 33.1%), and Bates Technical College (747 and 14.4%).

The most popular majors in Tacoma, WA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (624 and 12%), General Computer & Information Sciences (239 and 4.61%), and General Psychology (238 and 4.59%).

The median tuition costs in Tacoma, WA are $32,715 for private four year colleges, and $7,824 and $24,947 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Tacoma, WA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 84.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 16.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 17,453 (46% men and 54% 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 2022 there were 17,453 students enrolled in Tacoma, WA, 46% men and 54% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 7,696 records, of which 53.4% were women and 46.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Computer & Information Sciences
187 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
179 degrees awarded
General Psychology
238 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Tacoma, WA was General Computer & Information Sciences with 187 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
1,859 degrees awarded
Tacoma Community College
1,717 degrees awarded
Bates Technical College
747 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Washington-Tacoma Campus with 1,859 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 1,993 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Tacoma, WA, which is 0.624 times less than the 3,194 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 2,535 degrees mean that there were 3.89 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 651 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 ($32,715) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,377) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,151) 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 2022, 0.975% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.954% 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 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.41M), Some college (1.4M), and Bachelors Degree (1.33M).

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 $415,300 in 2022, which is 1.47 times larger than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $347,100 to $415,300, a 19.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Tacoma, WA is 56.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Tacoma, WA have an average commute time of 29.6 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 $79,085. In 2022, the place with the highest median household income in Tacoma, WA was Census Tract 605 with a value of $163,935, followed by Census Tract 9400.11 and Census Tract 604, with respective values of $143,542 and $140,250.

Housing

Property

$415,300

Median Property Value 2022

±$6,953

$50,677

Median Property Taxes

±$1,655

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

56.8%

Homeownership

2022

64.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 56.8% of the housing units in Tacoma, WA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 55.6%.

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 604

In 2022, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Tacoma, WA was Census Tract 605 with a value of $163,935, followed by Census Tract 9400.11 and Census Tract 604, with respective values of $143,542 and $140,250.

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.

$79,085

Median Household Income

± $1,795

89.2k

Number of Households

± 2,466

In 2022, the median household income of the 89.2k households in Tacoma, WA grew to $79,085 from the previous year's value of $69,956.

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.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in Washington

0.468

2021 Wage GINI in Washington

In 2022, the income inequality in Washington was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.285% growth from 2021 to 2022, 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 2022

Drove Alone (69.2%)
Worked At Home (12.1%)
Carpooled (9.23%)

In 2022, 69.2% of workers in Tacoma, WA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (12.1%) and those who carpooled to work (9.23%).

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

29.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Tacoma, WA have a longer commute time (29.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 4.77% 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

12.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Tacoma, WA (26k out of 215k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

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% of the population of Tacoma, WA has health coverage, with 47.8% on employee plans, 21% on Medicaid, 8.99% on Medicare, 12.7% on non-group plans, and 2.54% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Pierce County, WA see 1354 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.42% increase from the previous year (1335 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1190 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 184 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,354 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Pierce County, WA

Primary care physicians in Pierce County, WA see an average of 1,354 patients per year. This represents a 1.42% increase from the previous year (1,335 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 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.4% under 18 years, 25.2% between 18 and 34 years, 39.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 14% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.03%

Uninsured

47.8%

Employer Coverage

21%

Medicaid

8.99%

Medicare

12.7%

Non-Group

2.54%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Tacoma, WA grew by 1.23% from 6.94% to 7.03%.

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.

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