Tacoma is a city located in Pierce County Washington. Tacoma has a 2024 population of 223,968. It is also the county seat of Pierce County. Tacoma is currently growing at a rate of 0.48% annually and its population has increased by 1.93% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 219,719 in 2020.
The average household income in Tacoma is $100,055 with a poverty rate of 12.12%. The median age in Tacoma is 36.9 years: 36.3 years for males, and 37.6 years for females.
Tacoma is located along the Puget Sound, just miles from the cities of Seattle and Olympia.
The city has seen its ups and downs throughout the years in terms of population, but recent restorations and revitalization projects have been launched in hopes of drawing in more inhabitants.
There are many international companies located in Tacoma. The top employer is the Joint Base Lewis-McChord, which employs over 66,000 people. The public-school districts, the State of Washington, and the city’s health systems are also significant employers.
Despite some troubles in its past, the city of Tacoma has always seen population growth at every 10-year census. The population experienced its most significant growth between 1880 and 1890, growing by over 3,000%. Population growth has slowed in recent years, but it continues to climb. Based on current estimates, the population has increased by 6.5% since the last census taken in 2010. Revitalization of the city, particularly the downtown area, is expected to continue to bring in new residents to this city.
Native Americans inhabited what is now Tacoma for years before being settled by Europeans. The Puyallup was a notable group that lived in the region during its earliest years. What would later become Tacoma was settled by Nicolas Delin who built a sawmill close to Commencement Bay. However, all was later abandoned during the Indian War. It was in 1864 when Job Carr came to live in the area, but later sold his claim to Morton McCarver, who came up with the idea of Tacoma City.
The city was incorporated in 1875 because it was to be the site of a Northern Pacific Railroad depot. However, the depot was built several miles from the development as an area known as New Tacoma. These regions, however, merged in 1884 and experienced a population boom shortly thereafter.
It was in 1885 that hundreds of Chinese residents were evicted from the city and sent to Portland, Oregon. As the 19th century ended, a streetcar accident occurred in Tacoma, resulting in many deaths. During the early 20th century, smelter workers went on strike in Tacoma, demanding a pay raise. The strike ended just months later, with the workers not getting the extra pay they were seeking.
The 1920s saw a period of growth with the development of the first movie studio in the city. However, the stock market crash of 1929 brought misfortune to the city. Shortly after, Tacoma experienced one of its coldest winters in history, resulting in major power outages. The local economy was impacted, businesses shut their doors, and foreclosures were on the rise. The 1930s saw an increase of population in Hooverville, the city’s homeless community, as families were evicted from their homes.
The 1950s brought about more problems for the city as government corruption was uncovered. The commission-style government was changed to a mayor and city-manager system. The city’s economy continued to decline, with many streets and stores completely abandoned. The 1980s and early 1990s saw a higher rate of crime, but with the 2000s came a reduction in crime. The city was later named as one of the Most Livable Communities.
It was during the 1990s that revitalization efforts began. Among the renovations were the federal courthouse, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America’s Car Museum.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Tacoma was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
---|---|---|
White | 134,439 | 61.32% |
Two or more races | 27,972 | 12.76% |
Black or African American | 23,321 | 10.64% |
Asian | 19,032 | 8.68% |
Other race | 8,294 | 3.78% |
Native American | 3,655 | 1.67% |
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 2,521 | 1.15% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
---|---|---|---|---|
All | 89,228 | 2.38 | 56.8 | 43.2 |
Non Family | 37,308 | 1.31 | 40.6 | 59.4 |
Married | 36,026 | 3.09 | 76.8 | 23.2 |
Female | 10,852 | 3.43 | 50.5 | 49.5 |
Male | 5,042 | 3.11 | 47.5 | 52.5 |
3.01
Average Family Size
2.38
Average Household Size
56.8%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
---|---|---|
9th to 12th Grade | 8,381 | 5.4% |
Associates Degree | 15,561 | 10.02% |
Bachelors Degree | 31,801 | 20.48% |
Graduate Degree | 19,112 | 12.31% |
High School Graduate | 38,951 | 25.08% |
Less Than 9th Grade | 5,769 | 3.71% |
Some College | 35,719 | 23% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
---|---|---|---|
White | 97,169 | 92,012 | 37,200 |
Black | 16,262 | 14,449 | 3,330 |
Asian | 14,365 | 11,287 | 4,152 |
Hispanic | 14,102 | 10,908 | 2,630 |
2+ Races | 13,728 | 12,597 | 3,964 |
Other Race | 4,998 | 3,880 | 707 |
Native American | 2,368 | 1,851 | 436 |
Islander | 1,739 | 1,578 | 160 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 94.69%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 38.28%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
---|---|---|---|
Bachelors Degree | $66,910 | $75,926 | $60,616 |
Graduate Degree | $83,278 | $89,549 | $79,177 |
High School Graduate | $43,056 | $46,810 | $36,964 |
Less Than 9th Grade | $34,500 | $37,341 | $28,462 |
Overall | $52,103 | $57,329 | $47,212 |
Some College | $48,525 | $57,279 | $41,679 |
$52,103
Average Earnings
$57,329
Average Male
$47,212
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
82.71% of Tacoma residents speak only English, while 17.29% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Asian and Pacific Island languages, which is spoken by 6.84% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
---|---|---|---|
White | 122,779 | 11,491 | 9.36% |
Black | 22,851 | 4,371 | 19.13% |
Hispanic | 26,485 | 3,993 | 15.08% |
Multiple | 27,447 | 3,289 | 11.98% |
Asian | 18,846 | 2,968 | 15.75% |
Other | 8,155 | 1,033 | 12.67% |
Native | 3,553 | 702 | 19.76% |
Islander | 2,376 | 577 | 24.28% |
12.12%
Overall Poverty Rate
11.69%
Male Poverty Rate
12.56%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Tacoma is Islander, with 24.28% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Tacoma is White, with 9.36% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.19%. Among those working part-time, it was 12.68%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.64%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Less Than 9th Grade | 24.73% |
High School | 13.76% |
Some College | 11.08% |
Bachelors or Greater | 5.38% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
---|---|
Male Unemployed | 27.71% |
Female Unemployed | 24.43% |
Female Employed | 5.05% |
Male Employed | 4.8% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
---|---|---|
Families | $96,784 | $115,833 |
Households | $79,085 | $100,055 |
Married Families | $114,787 | $134,431 |
Non Families | $55,491 | $71,263 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
43.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.3%
Male Marriage Rate
42.1%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
17,363
Number of Veterans
14,985
Male Veterans
2,378
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
---|---|
Second Gulf War | 6,060 |
Vietnam | 4,882 |
First Gulf War | 4,076 |
Korea | 644 |
World War II | 262 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
---|---|
35 to 54 | 4,563 |
55 to 64 | 3,698 |
65 to 74 | 3,456 |
18 to 34 | 2,907 |
75+ | 2,739 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
---|---|---|
White | 11,530 | 10.31% |
Black | 2,687 | 14.5% |
2+ Races | 1,451 | 8.67% |
Hispanic | 1,278 | 7.06% |
Asian | 680 | 4.31% |
Other Race | 516 | 8.45% |
Islander | 342 | 17.19% |
Native American | 157 | 5.88% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
7.04%
Veteran Poverty Rate
28.13%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
66.7%
Labor Force Participation
62%
Employment Rate
5.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
49.72%
Born in Tacoma
87.86%
Native Born
12.14%
Foreign Born
5.17%
Non Citizen
6.97%
Naturalized
87.86% of Tacoma residents were born in the United States, with 49.72% having been born in Washington. 5.17% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
---|---|---|---|
2029 | 229,280 | 1,063 | 0.47% |
2028 | 228,217 | 1,062 | 0.47% |
2027 | 227,155 | 1,062 | 0.47% |
2026 | 226,093 | 1,063 | 0.47% |
2025 | 225,030 | 1,062 | 0.47% |
2024 | 223,968 | 1,062 | 0.48% |
2023 | 222,906 | 1,175 | 0.53% |
2022 | 221,731 | 2,079 | 0.95% |
2021 | 219,652 | -67 | -0.03% |
2020 | 219,719 | 1,621 | 0.74% |
2019 | 218,098 | 1,603 | 0.74% |
2018 | 216,495 | 2,719 | 1.27% |
2017 | 213,776 | 3,166 | 1.5% |
2016 | 210,610 | 3,600 | 1.74% |
2015 | 207,010 | 3,081 | 1.51% |
2014 | 203,929 | 1,634 | 0.81% |
2013 | 202,295 | 608 | 0.3% |
2012 | 201,687 | 2,052 | 1.03% |
2011 | 199,635 | 1,311 | 0.66% |
2010 | 198,324 | 0 | 0% |
2000 | 193,556 | 16,892 | 9.56% |
1990 | 176,664 | 18,163 | 11.46% |
1980 | 158,501 | 4,094 | 2.65% |
1970 | 154,407 | 6,428 | 4.34% |
1960 | 147,979 | 4,306 | 3% |
1950 | 143,673 | 34,265 | 31.32% |
1940 | 109,408 | 2,591 | 2.43% |
1930 | 106,817 | 9,852 | 10.16% |
1920 | 96,965 | 13,222 | 15.79% |
1910 | 83,743 | 46,029 | 122.05% |
1900 | 37,714 | 1,708 | 4.74% |
1890 | 36,006 | -193,274 | -84.3% |