Who moves to Tacoma, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Pierce County, WA, home of Tacoma, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 49,197from other US counties
- Moved out
- 48,618to other US counties
- Net
- +579more arrivals than departures
- From abroad
- 1,232tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 16,244 |
| Thurston County, WA | 2,740 |
| Kitsap County, WA | 1,441 |
| Snohomish County, WA (Everett) | 1,392 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 695 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 684 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 642 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 563 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 470 |
| El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs) | 439 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 432 |
| El Paso County, TX (El Paso) | 414 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| King County, WA (Seattle) | 9,505 |
| Thurston County, WA | 3,656 |
| Kitsap County, WA | 1,887 |
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 1,276 |
| Snohomish County, WA (Everett) | 1,016 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 665 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 567 |
| Lewis County, WA | 553 |
| Mason County, WA | 521 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 518 |
| Bexar County, TX (San Antonio) | 489 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 478 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 25,277 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in Washington and 23,920 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 695 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 684 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 642 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 563 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 470 |
| El Paso County, CO (Colorado Springs) | 439 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 432 |
| El Paso County, TX (El Paso) | 414 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Maricopa County, AZ (Phoenix) | 1,276 |
| Honolulu County, HI (Honolulu) | 665 |
| Spokane County, WA (Spokane) | 567 |
| Clark County, NV (Las Vegas) | 518 |
| Bexar County, TX (San Antonio) | 489 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 478 |
| San Diego County, CA (San Diego) | 398 |
| Bell County, TX (Killeen) | 366 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Tacoma come from?
Most people moving into Pierce County, WA come from nearby counties, led by King County, WA (16,244 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Maricopa County, AZ.
Where do people leaving Tacoma move to?
The top destination is King County, WA (9,505 people). Farther away, the most popular is Maricopa County, AZ.
Are more people moving to Tacoma or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 49,197 people moved into Pierce County, WA from elsewhere in the US and 48,618 moved out, a net gain of 579 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Tacoma with any city it trades people with, like Tacoma vs Phoenix, Tacoma vs Honolulu, Tacoma vs Los Angeles, Tacoma vs San Diego.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Tacoma.