Bloomington MN vs Tacoma WA — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Bloomington, MN

Minnesota · Population: 71,261

  • Median HH Income$103,382
  • Median Home Price$366,438
  • Unemployment4.5%
  • Bachelor's+36.1%

Tacoma, WA

Washington · Population: 220,482

  • Median HH Income$83,857
  • Median Home Price$496,966
  • Unemployment5.3%
  • Bachelor's+33.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Bloomington
71,261
Tacoma
220,482
Tacoma +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Bloomington
N/A
Tacoma
N/A
Median Age
Bloomington
37.3
Tacoma
37.3
Tie
Foreign Born
Bloomington
14.1%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
12.2%
White
Bloomington
72.7%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
59.4%
Black
Bloomington
8.6%
Tacoma
10.5%
Tacoma +
Asian
Bloomington
9.5%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
8.8%
Hispanic
Bloomington
5.1%
Tacoma
13.1%
Tacoma +
Spanish at Home
Bloomington
N/A
Tacoma
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Bloomington
$103,382
Bloomington +
Tacoma
$83,857
Per Capita Income
Bloomington
$44,640
Tacoma
$44,756
Tacoma +
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Bloomington
$69,467
Tacoma
$76,120
Tacoma +
Unemployment Rate
Bloomington
4.5%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
5.3%
Poverty Rate
Bloomington
6.5%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
12.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
Bloomington
36.1%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
33.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Bloomington
$366,438
Bloomington +
Tacoma
$496,966
Homeownership Rate
Bloomington
85.0%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
56.5%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
284
Bloomington +
Tacoma
383
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bloomington
1992
Bloomington +
Tacoma
3409

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
26.8%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
37.3%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.9%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
10.9%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Bloomington
14.2%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
18.7%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
8.5%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
9.3%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
17.2%
Tacoma
16.8%
Tacoma +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Bloomington
11.4%
Bloomington +
Tacoma
11.9%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
Tacoma
53.5°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bloomington
N/A
Tacoma
39.2 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Bloomington
8.1 µg/m³
Tacoma
7.5 µg/m³
Tacoma +
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Bloomington
75.0%
Tacoma
75.0%
Tie

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Bloomington
27.0 min
Bloomington +
Tacoma
31.1 min

Which City is Right for You?

Bloomington leads in median household income at $103,382, while bloomington offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $366,438. On public safety, Bloomington is safer with a violent crime rate of 284 per 100,000 residents, compared to 383 in Tacoma. Bloomington has a lower unemployment rate at 4.5%, and Tacoma has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.5 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Bloomington scores better with a lower obesity rate of 26.8%.

Compare More Cities

About Bloomington & Tacoma