Housing and tax tradeoff: Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington comes out ahead here on rent burden and rent. This only compares rent burden, rent, home price, and estimated state tax burden; it is not a total cost-of-living ranking.
Demand-Backed Comparison
Compare Olympia vs Tacoma on cost, climate, safety, and daily life
People have logged this comparison 10 times on WhyThere. The cards open full city pages. The charts and matrix below are the fast side-by-side read on housing, climate, walkability, safety, schools, parks, and day-to-day tradeoffs.
OlympiaTacoma
What Stands Out
A quick read on this comparison
Deterministic summaries based on the data in view.
Biggest tradeoff: Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington is the sharpest split in this comparison: strong on safety, weaker on sunshine.
Potential dealbreaker: Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington needs a closer look before you get too attached, especially on safety.
Comparison Matrix
| City | ||
|---|---|---|
| Route | ||
| General Info | ||
| Population | 55,733 | 222,906 |
| Center Elevation | 95 ft(29 m) | 243 ft(74 m) |
| Housing & Wealth | ||
| Median Home | $528,694 | $478,988 |
| Median Rent | $1,901 | $1,749 |
| Median Income | $73,851 | $79,085 |
| Rent Burden | 31% | 27% |
| Climate & Risks | ||
| Days with 5+ Hours of Sun | 257 days/yr | 258 days/yr |
| Avg. High | 61°F | 60°F |
| Avg. Low | 44°F | 44°F |
| Comfort Score | 73/100Great | 74/100Great |
| Temp Swing | 34°F | 34°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 51"(130 cm) | 50"(127 cm) |
| Annual Snowfall | 13"(33 cm) | 14"(36 cm) |
| Air Quality | Typical: 342024 modeled avg · 0 days > 100 | Typical: 402024 modeled avg · 1 days > 100 |
| Infrastructure & Lifestyle | ||
| Walkability | 39 | 54 |
| Transit Score | 35 | N/A |
| Safety Score | 63 / 100 | 36 / 100 |
| School Rating | 6.7/10 | 5.1/10 |
| Flood Risk (FEMA) | N/A | minimalMinimal Risk |
| Central Tract Wildfire Risk | minimalMinimal | minimalMinimal |
| Internet Access | Fiber: 3%Cable: 96% | Fiber: 37%Cable: 99% |
| Demographics | ||
| Median Age | 38.7 years | 36.9 years |
| College Educated | 48% | 33% |
| Remote Workers | 18% | 12% |
| Nature Access | ||
| Local Nature & Reserves | Finding... | Finding... |
| Scouting & Local Help | ||
Housing and local helpA practical next step once someone starts picturing the move. | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Olympia. One featured slot per city | Featured Local Partner ADRealtor Realtor spot available For an agent, brokerage, or relocation team that can answer housing questions in Tacoma. One featured slot per city |
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