Home » Best Places » Washington active adult retirement communities » Tacoma

Tacoma : Washington

What it's Like to Retire in Tacoma

Tacoma is a port city of 200,000 on Puget Sound, about 32 miles southwest of Seattle. Commencement Bay is the deep water port for the City, one reason why Tacoma was chosen as the western terminus of the Northern Pacific Railway in the late 1800's. The University of Washington has a branch in Tacoma. The city has invested heavily in restoring the downtown, which has numerous museums and theaters. Photo of the historic South J St. neighborhood courtesy of Wikipedia and Ben Cody.

Where to Retire in Tacoma and Home Prices

Tacoma has several nice neighborhoods that are suitable for retirees as well as families with children. Some of them include North Tacoma, Old Town, Ruston area, University Place, and Fircrest. Several people have suggested the urban condos in the downtown as being an attractive alternative. There are also active adult communities in the area (see link at top right). Zillow.com reported the price to be about $237,000 in mid-2016.

What is special about Tacoma

Tacoma has numerous parks enjoyed by its residents. At 700 acres, Point Defiance Park is one of the largest urban parks in the country. It has a scenic 5 mile drive through it. Ruston Way is a waterfront area with several parks.

What is not special about Tacoma

The crime rate is high.

Who will like retirement in Tacoma

People who want to live in a mid-sized city with good access to the outdoors and the water might like it here.

Local economy is driven by

The port is very important to the local economy.

Climate and Physical Environment

Tacoma is located on Puget Sound in western Washington. The median January temperature is in the low 40's. Most winter months tend to have annual precipitation between 5 and 6 inches, with the summer months relatively dry.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

In restored downtown Tacoma there is a thriving Theatre District with the 89-year-old Pantages Theater as its anchor. The Broadway Center for the Performing Arts manages the Pantages, the Rialto Theater, and the Theatre on the Square. Other attractions include the Grand Cinema and the Temple Theatre. Other museums include the Washington State History Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum, and the Museum of Glass. A car museum is under construction.

Crime

The crime rate in Tacoma is almost double the national average, including all categories of crime.

Medical facilities

St. Joseph Medical Center and Tacoma General Allenmore serve the Tacoma area.

Transportation

There is a commuter bus service to Seattle, as well as a 1.6 mile light rail to the UW-Tacoma campus. Seattle and Tacoma share a very large airport.

Valuable Links

Tacoma Visitors Bureau

What people are saying about Tacoma
No Comments

To comment you must be a registered member of Topretirements.com

Login Here

Username:
Password:
Remember me on this computer.

Create Your Free Membership Account

Suggest a community we want to know about your top retirement spots

Please note that all contributions to Topretirements may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then don't submit it here. By submitting content and/or photographs here you agree to give Topretirements.com the rights to use them in any manner without cost or attribution.You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Project:Copyrights for details). DO NOT SUBMIT COPYRIGHTED WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION!

Tacoma Active Communities

Facts about TACOMA

State: WA
Environment: College Town,Small-mid Sized City,Outdoor Oriented,
City Population: 100,001+
Median age of Population: 25-44
Avg Jan Temperature: 41-60
Avg July Temperature: 60-80
Median HH Income: 41,001-60,000
Average Home Price (MLS): $200,001-$300,000
Annual Property Tax on a $200,000 house: 2000-4000
Total Crime Index: 121+ (very high)
Cost of Living Index: 91-100 (slightly below average)
Culture Index: 111-120 (high)
State Sales Tax: Yes
State Income Tax: No
Name of the Guide: boomer1

Can you add to or correct these Facts? Or do you have a photo of this community we could use? If so, please click on Edit these facts

Add Your City Photo here

Vote on the Ratings for Tacoma

Update Your Ratings

1. Overall Retirement Ratings Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

1. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

2. Expense:
Inexpensive to Luxury Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

2. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

3. Taxes:
Inexpensive to Expensive Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

3. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

4. Culture:
None to Cosmopolitan Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

4. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

5.Recreation:
None to Summer camp Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

5. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

6. Transportation:
Boondocks to World Hub Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

6. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

7. Security:
Dangerous to Ft. Knox Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

7. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

8. Medical Facilities:
None to Excellent Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

8. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

9. Political Situation:
Conservative to Liberal Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

9. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

10. Environmental:
Oblivious to Ultra-Green Discuss

Currently 0.00>/5
1
2
3
4
5

10. Rating: 0.0/5 ( 0 votes cast)

Find the best retirement communities, active adult communities, and places to retire