How have home prices changed in South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington over the past year?

Home prices in South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington are up 14.3% over the past year. The neighborhood is priced about 6% above the city median and 2% below the state median, with a gross yield of 4.7 and a Red Flag score of 55.

How does South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington compare with Tacoma and Washington overall?

South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington is priced about 6% above Tacoma and 2% below Washington overall. Its gross yield is 4.7, the Red Flag score is 55, walkability is 75, and education is in the 26th percentile.

What should buyers know about walkability and education in South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington?

South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington has walkability of 75, which is a clear strength in the data. Education is in the 26th percentile, which is lower than the other scores here. The Red Flag score is 55, and prices rose 14.3% over the past year.

Neighborhood

South Tacoma

Tacoma, Washington US

South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington has a moderate investment profile, combining a gross yield of 4.7 with prices about 6% above the city median and 2% below the state median. Prices have risen 14.3% over the past year, which supports momentum, while the Red Flag score of 55 indicates a middling risk backdrop. Walkability is 75, but education is in the 26th percentile, so the data mix is stronger on access than on school-test performance.

AI Summary•Updated May 2026

Area

4.68 mi²

ZIP Code

98409

County

Pierce County

State

Washington

Redfin — median sale & volumeZillow ZORI — asking rentFEMA National Risk Index v1.20OpenStreetMap — POIFBI UCR — state crimeEPA — radon zonesEPA FRS / BTS — hazard screeningUS Census ACS / TIGER 2024

Verified Price · Median Sale

$420,875

YoY+14.3%

Gross Rental Yield

4.7%

Listed rent · ZORI annualized

Red Flag Index

Moderate

55 / 100

Walkability Score

Very Walkable

OpenStreetMap POI density · national percentile

Education Score

26 / 100

Limited · better than 26% of U.S. districts

Pre-pandemic SEDA (2018/19) · district proxy

AI Score

Fair

DistrictScore attractiveness · national model

South Tacoma Property Prices & Rental Yield

Verified Redfin sale data and Zillow ZORI asking rent for South Tacoma, Tacoma.

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Market Economics Snapshot

May 2026

Metric	Value	YoY
Median Sale Price	$420,875	+14.3%
Price / Sq Ft (Verified)	$344/sqft	+6.2%
Asking Rent (Median)	$1,657/mo	+3.7%
Gross Rental Yield	4.7%	—
Liquidity Score	27 / 100	Low
Homes Sold (Period)	72	+1.4%

Is South Tacoma Safe? Natural-Hazard Risk

FEMA National Risk Index composite across eight hazards, plus inherited Washington crime context.

Red Flag Breakdown

55 / 100

Moderate Risk

Composite is weighted by expected impact — frequent low-damage hazards (hail, wind) weigh less than flood or wildfire.

Earthquake100Very High

Heat80Very High

Flood60High

Wildfire40Moderate

Strong Wind40Moderate

Tornado20Low

Hail20Low

Hurricanen/an/a

7/8 hazards scored · FEMA NRI v1.20

Crime (state-level): Washington averaged 27.9 crimes and 3.3 violent per 1,000 residents (-13.0% YoY) in 2024(FBI UCR). Compare the state to the country, not states as a ranking — full Safety & Crime data lives on the state page.

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Tract-level hazard heatmap & parcel detail with Pro

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What Stands Out AI Insight

Appreciating market — +14.3% sale-price YoY

Highly walkable neighborhood — score 75/100

Active transaction volume — 72 homes sold last period

Dense amenities — 63 dining & 23 grocery options nearby

Earthquake risk is Very High (100/100)

Heat risk is Very High (80/100)

Insights are generated from South Tacoma's live DistrictScore metrics.

South Tacoma Environment & Safety

Satellite PM2.5 air-quality history, FBI UCR crime trend (Washington-level, the finest official aggregation), EPA radon potential and point-source hazard screening.

Washington Crime Trend

FBI UCR

20132024

All crimes / 1k

Violent / 1k

Year	Crimes / 1k	Violent / 1k	YoY
2024	27.9	3.3	-13.0%
2023	32.5	3.6	-12.5%
2022	37.5	3.8	+11.9%
2021	33.7	3.4	+12.1%
2020	30.3	2.9	+0.9%
2019	30.3	3.0	—

Reported at the state level — the finest official US crime aggregation; South Tacoma inherits the Washington figures.

Radon Potential

EPA

Zone 3

Zone 3 — Lowest potential · South Tacoma

EPA radon zones estimate indoor radon potential county-wide (Zone 1 highest, Zone 3 lowest). Testing is recommended in all zones.

Environmental Hazards

EPA / BTS

Superfund (NPL)0.0 kmVery High

Industrial odor9 nearbyVery High

Point-source screening near South Tacoma: EPA Superfund National Priorities List & Facility Registry (2026), BTS aviation noise (2020, 24-hour average level). Superfund shows distance to the nearest listed site; odor shows detected sources within the screening radius. Only detected sources are listed; the bar shows severity vs. all U.S. neighborhoods.

Walkability & Amenities in South Tacoma

Amenity density and pedestrian access from OpenStreetMap points of interest.

Walkability & Amenities

OpenStreetMap POI

75

Very Walkable

Walkability Score

23

Grocery

63

Dining

15

Schools

3

Universities

4

Hospitals

0

Pharmacies

13

Parks

2

Rail Transit

0

Coworking

POI counts are amenities within South Tacoma's boundary plus a 400 m walk buffer. Rail transit excludes bus stops.

South Tacoma vs Tacoma vs Washington

How South Tacoma benchmarks against its city and state medians.

Benchmark vs City & State

In South Tacoma, the median sale price sits about 6% above the median for Tacoma neighborhoods and in line with the statewide median. Gross rental yield is 4.7%, against 4.0% for Tacoma neighborhoods and 4.0% statewide. Over the past 12 months, prices rose 14.3%. Transaction liquidity sits below the median for Tacoma neighborhoods and below the statewide median.

Area	Median / Sq Ft	Gross Yield	Liquidity
South Tacoma	$344/sqft	4.7%	27
Tacoma	$324/sqft	4.0%	30
Washington	$352/sqft	4.0%	32

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Buying Property in the US as a Foreigner

Federal & Washington tax facts for non-resident buyers, plus the latest local market news.

Buying as a Foreigner

US Tax & Ownership

Applies to everyone7

Capital Gains (Federal)

Long-term capital gains taxed federally at 0/15/20%, plus a 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax on higher incomes (2026).

Property Tax

Property tax: ~0.74% average effective rate (statewide average; set and collected locally).

State Income Tax

No state income tax — rental income is not taxed at the state level.

State Capital Gains

No general income tax; the 7% capital gains tax exempts real estate.

Transfer Tax

Real estate transfer tax: REET graduated 1.1-3% (mansion-style).

Assessment Cap

No Proposition 13-style assessment cap; property is reassessed at market value.

Mansion Tax / Rent Control

Statewide rent control caps rent increases (HB 1217; 9.683% max for 2026); transfer tax is mansion-style.

US citizens & tax residents6

Primary-Home Exclusion

Selling your main home: exclude up to $250k of gain (single) / $500k (married) if you owned and lived there 2 of the last 5 years.

1031 Like-Kind Exchange

A 1031 like-kind exchange defers capital gains tax on investment property; 45 days to identify, 180 to close. Real estate only.

Depreciation Recapture

Residential rentals depreciate over 27.5 years; on sale, recaptured depreciation is taxed up to 25% (Section 1250).

Mortgage Interest Deduction

Mortgage interest is deductible on up to $750k of home debt. The SALT cap rose to $40,000 for 2025-2029 (reverts to $10k in 2030).

Opportunity Zones

Opportunity Zones are now permanent (2025): reinvested capital gains get deferral plus a basis step-up, and are tax-free after 10 years.

Rental Income (Resident)

Rental income is reported on Schedule E; passive-loss rules (Section 469) limit deducting rental losses against other income.

Foreign buyers (non-residents)5

FIRPTA (Foreign Sellers)

FIRPTA: the buyer withholds 15% of the gross sale price when a nonresident sells US property. It is an advance deposit, not the final tax.

Non-Resident Capital Gains

Nonresident sellers pay US capital gains tax (generally 15-20%) on the net gain via Form 1040-NR; FIRPTA withholding is credited.

Non-Resident Rental Tax

Nonresident rental income is taxed at 30% of gross by default, or on net income at graduated rates via a Section 871(d) election (W-8ECI).

Estate Tax (Non-Resident)

Nonresidents get only a $60,000 US estate-tax exemption (vs $13.99M for residents); US property above it is taxed up to 40%. Treaties may help.

ITIN Requirement

Nonresidents without an SSN need an ITIN (Form W-7) to file US tax returns, claim FIRPTA refunds, and report rental income.

Talk to a US real-estate tax advisor

FIRPTA, ITIN & Washington property-tax guidance for foreign buyers

Latest Tacoma Real-Estate News

New Fed chairman may leave mortgage rates mostly unchanged

Guaranteed Rate • Jun 18, 2026

Household real estate wealth hits record $48.7 trillion

Eye On Housing • Jun 18, 2026

U.S. commercial property prices hit record as deal patterns shift

Altus Group • Jun 18, 2026

South Tacoma Real Estate FAQ

South Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington shows a mixed investment profile. It offers a gross yield of 4.7 and prices about 6% above the city median and 2% below the state median. The Red Flag score is 55, walkability is 75, and education is in the 26th percentile.

Neighborhoods near South Tacoma

Compare South Tacoma with nearby neighborhoods in Tacoma.

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