98408 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98408
98409
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 26%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 25%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
89 · Bottom 37%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
70 · Top 31%
vs62 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | 98408 | 98409 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,009 | 27,843 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,899 | $73,348 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,092 | $40,831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,159/sq mi | 3,899/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $410,500 | $394,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,654 | $1,645 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.3% | 44.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 22.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.6% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,267 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 155.4% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 76°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.7 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 33.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.31 | 19.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.7% | 72.5% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
98408
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98409
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98408 — Tacoma, WA · 98409 — Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology