Tacoma’s neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You’ve got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there’s a neighborhood for everyone in Tacoma.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in Washington thanks in part to tons of entertainment and jobs, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine in Tacoma. Some neighborhoods aren’t as safe as others.
So the question arises, which Tacoma neighborhoods are the most dangerous and which are the safest?
Today, we’ll use Saturday Night Science to determine which Tacoma hoods need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Tacoma area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Proctor ranks way above the rest.
We examined 31 of Tacoma’s neighborhoods to find out the most dangerous places to live. These places don’t quite measure up to Tacoma’s reputation.
Table Of Contents: Top 10 | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what’s the worst neighborhood to live in Tacoma for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Larchmont looks to be the worst neighborhood in Tacoma.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Tacoma that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.
For more Washington reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Washington
- Cheapest Places To Live In Washington
- Most Dangerous Cities In Washington
The 10 Most Dangerous Neighborhoods In Tacoma For 2024
1. Larchmont
Population: 3,650
Median Home Value: $180,007 (10th worst)
Median Income: $42,987 (3rd worst)
2. Lower Portland Avenue
Population: 511
Median Home Value: $165,471 (5th worst)
Median Income: $45,801 (8th worst)
3. Fern Hill
Population: 2,258
Median Home Value: $160,124 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $45,748 (7th worst)
4. P.L.U.
Population: 11,825
Median Home Value: $171,925 (6th worst)
Median Income: $51,598 (14th worst)
/10
Population: 38,944
Median Home Value: $173,275 (7th worst)
Median Income: $45,707 (6th worst)
More on South End: Data
/10
Population: 30,118
Median Home Value: $153,172 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $48,589 (10th worst)
More on South Tacoma: Data
7. New Tacoma
Population: 11,912
Median Home Value: $240,798 (14th worst)
Median Income: $42,067 (2nd worst)
8. Ketcham Knoll
Population: 3,333
Median Home Value: $266,042 (16th worst)
Median Income: $49,612 (11th worst)
9. Hillsdale
Population: 7,889
Median Home Value: $183,075 (11th worst)
Median Income: $52,361 (17th worst)
10. Mckinley Hill
Population: 26,840
Median Home Value: $176,655 (9th worst)
Median Income: $51,707 (15th worst)
Methodology: How we determined the most dangerous Tacoma neighborhoods in 2024
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We plugged the following criteria into Saturday Night Science to get the worst neighborhoods in Tacoma:
- High crime (Estimated)
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one’s willing to pay to live here)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Tacoma, Washington for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criterion into a “Worst Score.”
The neighborhood with the lowest “Worst Score” ranks as the most dangerous neighborhood of Tacoma.
The article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024. This report is our time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Tacoma.
Skip to the end to see the list of all 31 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
Summary: The Worst Neighborhoods Around Tacoma
Well, there you have it — the worst of the neighborhoods in Tacoma with Larchmont landing at the bottom of the pack.
The worst neighborhoods in Tacoma are Larchmont, Lower Portland Avenue, Fern Hill, P.L.U., South End, South Tacoma, New Tacoma, Ketcham Knoll, Hillsdale, and Mckinley Hill.
As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Tacoma aren’t all bad. Proctor takes the cake as the best place to live in Tacoma.
The best neighborhoods in Tacoma are Proctor, Theatre District, Upper Tacoma District, Old Town, and North End.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Washington reading, check out:
Most Dangerous Neighborhoods To Live In Tacoma For 2024?
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Larchmont | 3,650 | $180,007 | $42,987 |
| 2 | Lower Portland Avenue | 511 | $165,471 | $45,801 |
| 3 | Fern Hill | 2,258 | $160,124 | $45,748 |
| 4 | P.l.u. | 11,825 | $171,925 | $51,598 |
| 5 | South End | 38,944 | $173,275 | $45,707 |
| 6 | South Tacoma | 30,118 | $153,172 | $48,589 |
| 7 | New Tacoma | 11,912 | $240,798 | $42,067 |
| 8 | Ketcham Knoll | 3,333 | $266,042 | $49,612 |
| 9 | Hillsdale | 7,889 | $183,075 | $52,361 |
| 10 | Mckinley Hill | 26,840 | $176,655 | $51,707 |
| 11 | North Fort Lewis | 6,234 | $269,106 | $63,411 |
| 12 | Manitou | 3,550 | $165,122 | $57,387 |
| 13 | Eastside | 57,761 | $176,342 | $51,083 |
| 14 | Madrona | 3,100 | $329,742 | $46,517 |
| 15 | Firecrest | 5,524 | $276,432 | $57,061 |
| 16 | Lincoln | 4,622 | $151,419 | $43,165 |
| 17 | Central | 21,959 | $198,128 | $51,128 |
| 18 | Sunset Beach | 3,730 | $476,132 | $73,410 |
| 19 | Midland | 4,665 | $282,018 | $52,164 |
| 20 | University Place | 11,185 | $496,830 | $61,301 |
| 21 | Dash Point | 11,494 | $304,116 | $83,392 |
| 22 | Roman Ridge | 4,603 | $273,291 | $56,067 |
| 23 | Salishan | 4,010 | $315,172 | $59,147 |
| 24 | West End | 26,434 | $290,958 | $61,168 |
| 25 | 6th Avenue | 654 | $245,628 | $67,467 |
| 26 | Stadium | 323 | $432,098 | $43,979 |
| 27 | North End | 26,704 | $292,910 | $72,196 |
| 28 | Old Town | 5,308 | $390,336 | $70,474 |
| 29 | Upper Tacoma District | 9,486 | $202,659 | $61,040 |
| 30 | Theatre District | 5,891 | $47,679,497 | $40,064 |
| 31 | Proctor | 209 | $313,634 | $82,791 |