Signals
Lake Tapps
Tacoma
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 40%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 25%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 45%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Tapps | Tacoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,798 | 222,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $148,005 | $85,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,939 | $45,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,043/sq mi | 4,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $742,400 | $479,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,091 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 89.2% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.1% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.0 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.2 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.04 | 19.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.6% | 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 Tapps
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 Tapps
66
Your Score
—
Area Score
Tacoma
63
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Tapps, WA · Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology