Tacoma vs Vancouver
Tacoma, Washington versus Vancouver, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Vancouver edges out Tacoma on overall objective livability (54 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Tacoma | Vancouver |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $79k | $74k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $61k |
| Home Value | $415k | $403k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.96% | 0.87% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.14% | 7.86% |
| Unemployment | 5.4% | 5.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 66°F | 69°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.8 in | 44.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 5.6 in | 0.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 171 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 54°F |
| Comfortable Days | 113 days | 124 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 83.5 | 38.4 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 33 AQI |
| School Quality | 91.0 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2692/100k | 2533/100k |
| Property Crime | 8571/100k | 5726/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 219,234 | 190,700 |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.59 | 0.44 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.01 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | Even |
| White (%) | 57.2% | 67.5% |
| Black (%) | 10.1% | 2.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.3% | 15.4% |
| Asian (%) | 8.5% | 5.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 11.9% | 9.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 15.2/20 | 13.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 16 mi | 4 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.7% | 91.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 30.93 | 30.52 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
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 Tacoma or Vancouver more affordable?
- Tacoma has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Tacoma's $55k and Vancouver's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Tacoma versus $2k in Vancouver.
- Is Tacoma or Vancouver safer?
- Vancouver has the lower violent crime rate. Tacoma reports 2692/100k and Vancouver reports 2533/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Tacoma or Vancouver?
- The median home value is $415k in Tacoma and $403k in Vancouver, so homes are more affordable in Vancouver.