Lake Stevens and Tacoma receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Lake Stevens
Tacoma
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
43 · Bottom 37%
vs71 · Top 15%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 30%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
79 · Bottom 21%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
80 · Top 8%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Stevens | Tacoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,253 | 222,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $122,336 | $85,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,103 | $45,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,962/sq mi | 4,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $635,600 | $479,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,224 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.6% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.0% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.2% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 98 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.4 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -68.5% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 34 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 37.7 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.46 | 19.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.6% | 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
Lake Stevens
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Tacoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Lake Stevens
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Tacoma
63
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Stevens, WA · Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology