Signals
Fairwood
Tacoma
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 35%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 24%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Fairwood | Tacoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,856 | 222,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $122,134 | $85,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,330 | $45,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,765/sq mi | 4,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $733,200 | $479,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,233 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.9% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.3% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.41 | 19.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 49.6% | 56.9% | 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
Fairwood
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Tacoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Fairwood, WA · Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology