Tacoma receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Modesto
Tacoma
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 9%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
62 · Top 30%
vs71 · Top 9%
Climate
77 · Top 26%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs33 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 29%
vs62 · Bottom 40%
Access
92 · Bottom 25%
vs91 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
55 · Top 50%
vs61 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Modesto | Tacoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 219,215 | 222,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,891 | $85,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,523 | $45,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,056/sq mi | 4,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $442,700 | $479,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,690 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.9% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.2% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.3% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 768 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 247.5% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.3" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 22 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.6 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Modesto
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Tacoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Modesto, CA · Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology