Population 31,176 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Tacoma
Household size in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.51 | 2.52 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.58 | 2.59 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.50 | 2.56 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.49 | 2.60 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.15 | −0.02 | +0.09 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
South Tacoma is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.49, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the south and smallest in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.4 | 36.5 | 37.5 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 33.5 | 37.5 | 38.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 32.4 | 37.5 | 38.5 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 34.1 | 38.3 | 38.8 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.7 | +1.8 | +1.3 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 34.1, South Tacoma is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 30.4, mirroring the country. Few Tacoma neighborhoods are younger: only two of 10.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.2% | 14.3% | 10.3% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.3% | 13.4% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 11.6% | 9.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.5% | 13.5% | 9.1% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in South Tacoma: 18.5% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. South Tacoma has the highest share of single-parent households of any Tacoma neighborhood.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in South Tacoma
Renters in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 60.1% | 43.3% | 37.7% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 63.0% | 46.1% | 40.0% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 66.6% | 44.9% | 39.9% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 58.7% | 41.9% | 40.0% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −1.4 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in South Tacoma: 58.7% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 38.9% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has edged down 1.4 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose. Only one other Tacoma neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 8.6% | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.6% | 9.4% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.1% | 8.3% | 6.8% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.6% | 6.6% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −3.0 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in South Tacoma: just 5.5% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. The picture is much the same across Tacoma. Vacancy is down 3.4 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1969 | 1964 | 1977 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1971 | 1965 | 1978 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1967 | 1980 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1968 | 1983 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +7 | +6 | +6 |
Housing in South Tacoma leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. Even so, homes here are newer than in Tacoma as a whole, where the median home dates to 1968. The median year built has moved up from 1969 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southeast.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $960 | $1,024 | $1,162 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,014 | $1,110 | $1,284 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,177 | $1,297 | $1,644 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,692 | $1,845 | $2,193 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$732 | +$821 | +$1,031 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in South Tacoma pays $1,692 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Still, rents here are lower than in Tacoma as a whole ($1,845). Rent has climbed $732 a month since 2006–10, up 76%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 30.6% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in South Tacoma
Bachelor's degrees in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.2% | 22.3% | 36.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.2% | 24.4% | 38.0% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.1% | 28.5% | 42.3% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 22.1% | 32.6% | 46.3% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +10.3 pts | +9.6 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in South Tacoma have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 22.1%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree is up 8.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the south.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 83.0% | 87.5% | 91.3% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 85.8% | 88.0% | 91.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.4% | 89.2% | 92.5% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.8% | 90.2% | 93.1% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +2.8 pts | +1.8 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in South Tacoma have finished high school as nationally: 87.8%, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in Tacoma overall (90.2%). The share with a diploma is up 4.8 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in South Tacoma
| Period | South Tacoma | Tacoma | Seattle area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 9.3% | 6.9% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 11.2% | 8.3% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 5.6% | 4.5% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 6.2% | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −3.2 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in South Tacoma: 8.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other Tacoma neighborhood has higher unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.0 points, as it has nationally.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
South Tacoma compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Tacoma | 2.34 | 34.1 | 18.5% | 58.7% | 5.5% | 1975 | $1,692 | 22.1% | 87.8% | 8.2% |
| South End | 2.72 | 37.0 | 15.6% | 36.8% | 5.8% | 1960 | $1,767 | 21.1% | 86.8% | 7.7% |
| Central | 2.30 | 39.4 | 16.0% | 42.3% | 4.5% | 1953 | $1,680 | 35.0% | 93.1% | 3.7% |
| Eastside Enact | 2.91 | 35.8 | 18.2% | 30.6% | 5.8% | 1964 | $1,713 | 21.7% | 83.5% | 6.7% |
| New Tacoma | 1.69 | 33.8 | 11.8% | 83.1% | 7.9% | 1961 | $1,475 | 38.4% | 89.6% | 7.8% |
| North End | 2.32 | 39.8 | 7.3% | 33.0% | 4.9% | 1943 | $1,813 | 65.7% | 98.3% | 4.1% |
| West End | 2.14 | 45.8 | 8.4% | 46.7% | 5.9% | 1977 | $1,967 | 42.6% | 95.0% | 4.1% |
| Woodbrook | 2.57 | 25.4 | 16.6% | 88.6% | 10.9% | 1986 | $1,712 | 13.4% | 86.9% | 9.5% |
| Waller | 2.63 | 41.0 | 9.4% | 14.2% | 3.9% | 1982 | $1,600 | 30.6% | 93.6% | 4.2% |
| Summit | 2.48 | 41.0 | 13.3% | 38.5% | 5.6% | 1985 | $1,646 | 18.1% | 93.7% | 8.9% |
| Northeast Tacoma | 2.72 | 39.5 | 10.3% | 26.4% | 3.2% | 1989 | $2,369 | 39.6% | 95.4% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Ashburn, Chicago, IL · Deanwood, Washington, DC · North Side, Mount Vernon, NY · Kips Bay, Manhattan, NY · Laurelton, Queens, NY · Millard, Omaha, NE · The Colony, Anaheim, CA · Southwest Arlington, Arlington, TX · Somerton, Philadelphia, PA · Silver Lake, Eastmont, WA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up South Tacoma. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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