Health Profile of Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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B
Tacoma Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Tacoma | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 77.4 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 7.0% | 6.3% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 14.5% | 15.4% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Tacoma is 77.4 years, about 2.3 years shorter than the Washington average of 79.6 years. The uninsured rate is 7.0%, higher than the Washington average of 6.3%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 14.5% of residents, lower than the Washington average of 15.4%.
Population by Age
Older residents
68,748 residents in Tacoma are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 3,825 1,304 men · 2,521 women
- 75–84 8,401 3,461 men · 4,940 women
- 65–74 17,527 8,136 men · 9,391 women
- 50–64 38,995 19,511 men · 19,484 women
Younger residents
42,792 residents in Tacoma are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 12,798 6,184 boys · 6,614 girls
- 7–12 12,398 6,188 boys · 6,210 girls
- 3–7 9,878 5,011 boys · 4,867 girls
- 0–3 7,719 3,869 boys · 3,849 girls
About 9,747 residents in Tacoma (4.4% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 77.4 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Tacoma | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 9.3% | 10.1% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 5.8% | 7.2% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 5.2% | 6.9% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 33.8% | 32.6% | 34.3% |
The rate of heart disease in Tacoma is about 24% lower than in Washington. The rate of cancer in Tacoma is about 19% lower than in Washington.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Tacoma | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 16.3% | 16.4% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 16.1% | 16.2% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 21.9% | 20.3% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Tacoma are about the same as in Washington.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 291,524 cigarettes a day, 8.7 million a month, or 106.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 3.2 million minutes a day and 1.2 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Tacoma is 77.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.08 lifetimes a day, or 29 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Tacoma | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 5.15 | 5.25 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 5.2 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Tacoma is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Tacoma, Washington has an overall health index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Washington, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Tacoma, Washington.
Is Tacoma, Washington a healthy place to live?
Tacoma, Washington has a Map AI Health Index grade of B, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a B grade means residents are somewhat healthier than the U.S. average.
What is the average lifespan in Tacoma, Washington?
People in Tacoma, Washington can expect to live 77.4 years on average, 2.3 years shorter than the Washington average of 79.6.
What percentage of Tacoma, Washington residents are uninsured?
7.0% of residents in Tacoma, Washington have no health insurance, about 1 in 14 people, 0.6 points above the Washington rate of 6.3%.
What percentage of Tacoma, Washington residents are obese?
33.8% of adults in Tacoma, Washington are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 1.3 points above the Washington rate of 32.6%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Tacoma, Washington go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 291,524 cigarettes a day, 8.7 million a month, or 106.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 3.2 million minutes a day and 1.2 billion a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Tacoma is 77.4 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.08 lifetimes a day, or 29 lifetimes a year.
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