In 2025, the Downtown Tacoma Partnership partnered with the International Downtown Association to participate in its nationally recognized Value of Downtown study. This data-driven program measures how downtowns perform across North America, providing a clear picture of economic strength, residential growth, cultural activity, and quality of life. 

For Downtown Tacoma, the study confirms what we see on the ground every day: downtown is one of the city’s fastest-growing, most economically productive, and culturally vibrant districts — and a critical engine for Tacoma’s future.

What the Data Shows

Downtown is growing fast

• Population has increased 62% since 2000 and 23% since 2019, far outpacing city and regional growth.

• Nearly half of residents are ages 18–34, with the 25–34 age group up 69% since 2014.

Downtown is Tacoma’s economic core

• 1 in 6 Tacoma workers is employed downtown.

• Downtown has 43 workers per acre, compared to just 4 per acre citywide.

• Employment grew 31% from 2013–2022, outpacing the rest of the city.

Jobs are higher-paying and knowledge-based

• 82% of downtown workers earn over $40,000, compared to 67% citywide.

• Downtown hosts 40% of Tacoma’s knowledge-industry jobs.

Downtown punches far above its weight in retail and culture

• $222 million in annual hospitality sales, more than 10% of Tacoma’s total in less than one square mile.

• Sales per square mile are 6× higher than the city average.

• 48 outdoor events, 5 museums, and 114 public art installations make downtown the city’s cultural heart.

Affordable and well-connected

• Median rent downtown is $1,090, compared to $1,597 citywide.

• 36% of residents commute without driving alone, with far higher walking and transit use than the rest of Tacoma.