Tacoma, Washington

About Tacoma

Tacoma's past includes being the terminus of the Northern Pacific Railroad, the gateway to Mt. Rainier, and a bustling port on the shores of Puget Sound. Present-day Tacoma is still a bustling port, a regional center for international trade with Pacific Rim nations, and a renaissance city with a renewed spirit and rebuilt downtown core. Throughout it all, Tacoma has never lost sight of, or faith in its nickname, "The City of Destiny."

Captain George Vancouver explored what would become the Tacoma area in his 1792 voyage on the HMS Discovery. In 1833 the Canadian Hudson's Bay Company established Fort Nisqually, a trading post a short distance to the south in what is now DuPont. In the 1850s, Nicholas Delin built a cabin and sawmill on the shores of Commencement Bay on the site of modern Tacoma.

The city was incorporated in 1875, fully 14 years before Washington statehood. Its name came from the European version of the local Indian name for Mt. Rainier - Tahoma. In 1868 the Northern Pacific Railroad chose Tacoma to be its western terminus. When the line was completed in 1883, Tacoma's population and commerce boomed. By 1892, 50,000 people lived in Tacoma.

In the early 1900s timber giant Weyerhaeuser Corporation gave the Tacoma economy a major and continuing boost. Today Tacoma is the second largest city in Washington, the county seat of Pierce County, and the sixth largest container port in North America.

Visitors and real estate seekers will find Tacoma to be a mix of hard-working waterfront and refined downtown. The Broadway Theater District is home to beautifully renovated, historic live theaters. Nearby is the stunning Washington State History Museum next to the historic Northern Pacific Train Depot that has been renovated and turned into a federal courthouse. Next to them is the Museum of Glass featuring the works of world-famous artist-in-residence, Dale Chihuly, where you can watch artists create their works live.

Geography

Tacoma is located on the shores of Commencement Bay and the mouth of the Puyallup River. Interstate 5 run through the city, as does Amtrak's main north/south line for the western United States. Joint Base Lewis McChord is just a few miles south. Seattle and its international airport are just 30 miles to the north. Mount Rainier, the tallest peak in Washington's volcanic Cascade Mountain Range, dominates the view to the southeast.

Tacoma Real Estate

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Mean real estate prices in 2008:

All housing units $309,283
Detached houses $312,230
Townhouses or other attached units $283,943
In 2-unit structures $223,506
In 3- to 4-unit structures $361,179
In 5 or more unit structures $237,804

Weather

Tacoma enjoys the same temperate climate as its neighbors in western Washington State.

Jan April July Oct
Avg. Temp 40 50 65 52
Precip in inches 5.5 3 .9 3

Population

Tacoma population as of July 2008 stands at 197,181 people, a 1.9% increase from the 2000 census. An average of 2.5 persons occupy each household in Tacoma. Median age is 33.9 years, somewhat younger than the Washington state average of 35.3.

Employment

Tacoma offers a wide range of occupations in the immediate vicinity and surrounding areas. Joint Base Lewis McChord is a large employer. Extensive waterfront and downtown development offers employment in industries ranging from international shipping, stevedoring, manufacturing, commercial, retail and tourism industries. Three in-city hospitals employ thousands of healthcare workers. Public and private education institutions are one of the largest employer groups in the city. Average commute time for Tacoma residents is 25 minutes each way.

Income

Median household income in 2008 was $47.088, significantly less than Washington state's average of $58,000. 14.8% of Tacoma residents were below the poverty line.

Cost of Living

The Cost of Living Index for Tacoma is 101 as of December 2009. The average for all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas participating in the Cost of Living Index = 100.

Tacoma Schools

The Tacoma School District is the third largest school district in Washington. Thirty-seven elementary schools, 10 middle schools, 5 comprehensive high schools and 6 alternative learning sites educate more than 29,000 students from in and around the city of Puyallup. With more than 4,400 certificated and classified staff, the district is one of the largest employers in the city of Tacoma.

83.6% of Tacoma residents over age 25 have earned a high school diploma or higher level of education, and 42.9% have achieved a Bachelor's Degree or higher. Post-secondary education is available at two private universities in Tacoma – Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Puget Sound. Public options include the a branch campus operated by the University of Washington in downtown Tacoma and Tacoma Community College which offers courses in Tacoma and on base at Lewis/McChord.