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North Yelm vs Tacoma

North Yelm, Washington versus Tacoma, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.

Overall livability

North Yelm

Solid · objective livability57/100

Tacoma

Mixed · objective livability48/100

North Yelm edges out Tacoma on overall objective livability (57 vs 48 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.

Factor-by-factor comparison

FactorNorth YelmTacoma
Affordability
Median Household Income$75k$79k
Cost of Living$55k$55k
Home Value$283k$415k
Monthly Rent$1k$1k
Monthly Owner Costs$912$51k
Property Tax Rate0.84%0.96%
Income Tax0.00%0.00%
Sales Tax9.38%9.38%
Estimated total tax burden6.24%8.14%
Unemployment2.2%5.4%
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F42°F
Summer Temp (Jul)65°F66°F
Annual Precipitation54.0 in40.8 in
Annual Snowfall3.9 in5.6 in
Sunny Days187 days217 days
Summer Humidity52°F53°F
Comfortable Days100 days113 days
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk57.683.5
Air Quality35 AQI38 AQI
School Quality96.191.0
Violent Crime832/100k2692/100k
Property Crime2333/100k8571/100k
Community
Population2,785219,234
Median Age36.836.9
Racial Diversity0.230.59
Male/Female Ratio1.301.01
Political LeaningD+19D+19
White (%)87.0%57.2%
Black (%)0.0%10.1%
Hispanic (%)1.1%12.3%
Asian (%)1.1%8.5%
Other / Multiracial (%)10.7%11.9%
Getting Around
Commute Time30 min
Walkability6.9/2015.2/20
Airport Distance36 mi16 mi
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access94.1%90.7%
Amenities Nearby262.1230.93
Park & Nature AccessModerateModerate

Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.

Frequently asked questions

Is North Yelm or Tacoma more affordable?
Tacoma has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with North Yelm's $55k and Tacoma's $55k. Median rent is $1k in North Yelm versus $1k in Tacoma.
Is North Yelm or Tacoma safer?
North Yelm has the lower violent crime rate. North Yelm reports 832/100k and Tacoma reports 2692/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
Are homes cheaper in North Yelm or Tacoma?
The median home value is $283k in North Yelm and $415k in Tacoma, so homes are more affordable in North Yelm.
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