What percentage of people rent in Tacoma, WA?

Name: Renters and owners in Tacoma, WA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

44.2% (±1.3 points) of the occupied homes in Tacoma, WA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 41,140 renting households against 51,893 that own their home.

In Tacoma, the share of households that rent went from 48.0% in 2015–2019 to 44.2% in 2020–2024 (−3.8 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 44.2% (±1.3 points)
Renting households: 41,140 (±1,269)
Median renter income: $58,876 (±$2,594)

Who rents and who owns in Tacoma

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Tacoma	Pierce County	Washington	United States
Renter-occupied share	44.2% (±1.3 points)	35.3% (±0.6 points)	36.2% (±0.3 points)	34.8%
Renting households	41,140 (±1,269)	123,930 (±2,243)	1,110,043 (±7,257)	45,017,354
Owning households	51,893 (±1,387)	227,400 (±2,414)	1,954,777 (±10,007)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.0 (±0.1)	2.3 (±0.0)	2.2 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.6 (±0.1)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$58,876 (±$2,594)	$68,118 (±$1,782)	$66,868 (±$600)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$110,884 (±$2,052)	$120,834 (±$1,287)	$119,764 (±$583)	$100,009

In Tacoma, the renter share is higher than in Pierce County (35.3%).

It is also higher than in Washington (36.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In Pierce County, Tacoma ranks 10 of 59 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 71 of 472.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Tacoma has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	48.0% (±1.1 points)	44.2% (±1.3 points)	−3.8 percentage points	Measurable decrease
Median gross rent	$1,180 (±$24)	$1,676 (±$28)	+42.0%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$62,358 (±$1,312)	$85,884 (±$1,903)	+37.7%	Up after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Tacoma

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Tacoma
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Tacoma	—	44.2% (±1.3 points)	—
Fircrest	3.0 mi	28.2% (±7.3 points)	Lower
Ruston	4.0 mi	31.2% (±12.6 points)	Lower
University Place	4.8 mi	42.8% (±3.3 points)	Not measurably different
Fife	5.3 mi	53.7% (±4.4 points)	Higher
Fife Heights	5.4 mi	4.0% (±2.9 points)	Lower
Waller	5.4 mi	17.4% (±5.1 points)	Lower
Midland	5.9 mi	41.6% (±6.3 points)	Not measurably different
Wollochet	5.9 mi	25.3% (±8.2 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Fircrest, WA (28.2%), Ruston, WA (31.2%), Fife Heights, WA (4.0%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Fife, WA (53.7%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across Pierce County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
4	Fife	53.7% (±4.4 points)
5	Lakewood	52.5% (±2.7 points)
6	Parkland	48.2% (±3.1 points)
7	Puyallup	47.9% (±3.2 points)
8	Sumner	45.6% (±5.5 points)
9	Milton	45.0% (±6.2 points)
10	Tacoma	44.2% (±1.3 points)
11	University Place	42.8% (±3.3 points)
12	Midland	41.6% (±6.3 points)
13	Summit View	41.0% (±7.2 points)
14	DuPont	38.5% (±6.6 points)
15	Gig Harbor	37.8% (±4.7 points)
16	Clover Creek	37.2% (±7.2 points)

Showing 13 of 59 places in Pierce County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Tacoma

How many renters are there in Tacoma?

Tacoma has an estimated 41,140 (±1,269) renting households, 44.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Tacoma?

In Tacoma, the share of households that rent went from 48.0% in 2015–2019 to 44.2% in 2020–2024 (−3.8 percentage points), a measurable decrease.

How big are renting households in Tacoma?

A renting household in Tacoma has 2.0 people on average, against 2.6 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Tacoma?

The median renting household in Tacoma, WA has an income of $58,876 (±$2,594) a year, against $110,884 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Tacoma city, Washington (place:70000, in state:53).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.