Tacoma vs Tacoma South

Tacoma is the younger of the two, with a median age of 40 against 43 in Tacoma South. In both, the large majority of households own their home, the large majority of homes are detached houses, and about half of households are couple families. Houses cost more in Tacoma South: a median of $975,000, against $850,000 in Tacoma, and rent is higher there too. On these figures, Tacoma tends to suit families with children, while Tacoma South suits people living alone.

Which one suits you?

There is no overall winner — the suburb that suits a family with school-age kids is routinely the wrong one for someone commuting into the city. So each of these answers its own question, against a checklist you can see, using the same figures in the tables below.

Families with school-age kids

Tacoma

ahead on 2 of the 6 things we measure here

  • has more schools inside the suburb (2 vs 0)
  • is already more of a family suburb (76% vs 66%)
  • But Tacoma South carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 76/100)

Weighs schools, house stock, crime, parks, childcare, and who already lives there.

First-home buyers

Tacoma

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • has cheaper houses ($850,000 vs $975,000)

Weighs house prices and mortgage stress.

Renters

Tacoma

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • has a bigger rental market to choose from (18% vs 7%)
  • has cheaper rent ($390/wk vs $440/wk)

Weighs rent, rental stress, and how much is for rent.

Commuting to the city

Tacoma

ahead on 2 of the 3 things we measure here

  • is more walkable (45/100 vs 35/100)
  • has a shorter drive in (81 min vs 89 min)

Weighs distance, drive time, and walkability.

Downsizers and retirees

They split

one each way, out of the 4 things we measure here

  • Tacoma is more walkable (45/100 vs 35/100)
  • Tacoma South carries lower crime risk (16/100 vs 76/100)

Weighs who already lives there, GPs, walkability, and crime.

Investors

Tacoma South

ahead on the one thing that separates them

  • is growing faster (3.6% vs -2.8%)

Weighs population growth.

Where they sit

Tacoma and Tacoma South drawn to the same scale. Both outlines are shown together, so the map answers whether they share a border and how their areas compare.

Tacoma Tacoma South
Hides rows where both suburbs match

Bars start at zero. Scores, risks and rankings are drawn against their full 0–100 range; other rows are drawn in proportion to the larger of the two.

Side by side, out of 100

Risks are inverted — shown as safety and low exposure — so a longer bar always means better.

Tacoma Tacoma South
Walkability 45 / 35
Tacoma — Walkability: 45/100 Tacoma South — Walkability: 35/100
Safety 24 / 84
Tacoma — Safety: 24/100 Tacoma South — Safety: 84/100
Low fire risk 40 / 100
Tacoma — Low fire risk: 40/100 Tacoma South — Low fire risk: 100/100

Demographics

Tacoma has more residents (615 vs 257); Tacoma South rents higher ($440/wk vs $390/wk).

Tacoma Tacoma South
Population 615
+58% vs other
 257
Population trend (2016 → 2021) -2.8% +3.6%
Median age 40 43
Median household income $87,308/yr $92,612/yr
+6% vs other
Median weekly rent $390/wk $440/wk
+13% vs other

Age profile

Share of residents in each band, 2021 Census.

Tacoma Tacoma South
0-4 5.4% / 7.0%
Tacoma — 0-4: 5.4% Tacoma South — 0-4: 7.0%
5-14 16.7% / 5.8%
Tacoma — 5-14: 16.7% Tacoma South — 5-14: 5.8%
15-19 6.5% / 4.3%
Tacoma — 15-19: 6.5% Tacoma South — 15-19: 4.3%
20-24 4.2% / 6.2%
Tacoma — 20-24: 4.2% Tacoma South — 20-24: 6.2%
25-34 10.1% / 14.8%
Tacoma — 25-34: 10.1% Tacoma South — 25-34: 14.8%
35-44 12.8% / 11.7%
Tacoma — 35-44: 12.8% Tacoma South — 35-44: 11.7%
45-54 13.8% / 11.3%
Tacoma — 45-54: 13.8% Tacoma South — 45-54: 11.3%
55-64 13.5% / 17.1%
Tacoma — 55-64: 13.5% Tacoma South — 55-64: 17.1%
65-74 13.5% / 12.1%
Tacoma — 65-74: 13.5% Tacoma South — 65-74: 12.1%
75-84 3.4% / 5.8%
Tacoma — 75-84: 3.4% Tacoma South — 75-84: 5.8%
85+ 0.8% / 1.6%
Tacoma — 85+: 0.8% Tacoma South — 85+: 1.6%

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (17.1%).

Who lives together

Household composition, 2021 Census.

Tacoma 49.3% couple families
Tacoma — Couple Families: 49.3% Tacoma — Lone Person: 20.7% Tacoma — One Parent Families: 26.7% Tacoma — Group Household: 3.3%
Tacoma South 45.7% couple families
Tacoma South — Couple Families: 45.7% Tacoma South — Lone Person: 30.0% Tacoma South — One Parent Families: 20.0% Tacoma South — Group Household: 4.3%
Couple Families Lone Person One Parent Families Group Household

Who owns and who rents

Occupied private dwellings by tenure, 2021 Census.

Tacoma 17.8% renting
Tacoma — Owned Outright: 37.6% Tacoma — Mortgage: 44.7% Tacoma — Renting: 17.8%
Tacoma South 6.7% renting
Tacoma South — Owned Outright: 37.1% Tacoma South — Mortgage: 56.2% Tacoma South — Renting: 6.7%
Owned outright Mortgage Renting

Where residents were born

Largest overseas birthplaces, as a share of all residents, 2021 Census. A dash means that country is not among the suburb's own eight largest.

Tacoma Tacoma South
England 2.0% / 7.0%
Tacoma — England: 2.0% Tacoma South — England: 7.0%
New Zealand 2.1% / —
Tacoma — New Zealand: 2.1% Tacoma South — New Zealand: not among its largest
Philippines 0.7% / 1.2%
Tacoma — Philippines: 0.7% Tacoma South — Philippines: 1.2%
Indonesia 0.8% / —
Tacoma — Indonesia: 0.8% Tacoma South — Indonesia: not among its largest
Ireland 0.5% / —
Tacoma — Ireland: 0.5% Tacoma South — Ireland: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (7.0%).

Qualifications

Highest non-school qualification, residents 15+, 2021 Census.

Tacoma Tacoma South
Certificate III & IV 21.1% / 23.3%
Tacoma — Certificate III & IV: 21.1% Tacoma South — Certificate III & IV: 23.3%
Advanced Diploma / Diploma 7.2% / 10.1%
Tacoma — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 7.2% Tacoma South — Advanced Diploma / Diploma: 10.1%
Bachelor Degree 4.6% / 8.2%
Tacoma — Bachelor Degree: 4.6% Tacoma South — Bachelor Degree: 8.2%
Postgraduate Degree 0.5% / 1.6%
Tacoma — Postgraduate Degree: 0.5% Tacoma South — Postgraduate Degree: 1.6%
Graduate Diploma / Certificate 0.8% / —
Tacoma — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: 0.8% Tacoma South — Graduate Diploma / Certificate: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (23.3%).

What people live in

Occupied private dwellings by structure, 2021 Census.

Tacoma 99.5% houses
Tacoma — Houses: 99.5% Tacoma — Flats / Apartments: 0.5%
Tacoma South 100.0% houses
Tacoma South — Houses: 100.0% Tacoma South — Flats / Apartments: 0.0%
Houses Flats / Apartments

Property market

Tacoma Tacoma South
Median house price $850,000 $975,000
Median unit price —
same for both
Median land price —
same for both
Typical days to sell (houses) 24 days
from 4 sales
 —

Zoning mix

Tacoma Tacoma South
Environmental 73% 82%
Residential 20% 17%
Parks and recreation 5% 0%
Infrastructure and transport 3% 0%
Zoning sets what may be built, not what is there today. A single address can sit in a different zone to the suburb around it. Zones as at 2026-09.

Development activity

Tacoma Tacoma South
New dwellings approved 1,441
across Central Coast (NSW)
same for both
Approvals change year on year +67%
same for both

Ranking within NSW

Tacoma Tacoma South
House price Higher than 34% of NSW Higher than 54% of NSW
Income Higher than 56% of NSW Higher than 60% of NSW
Schools —
same for both
Walkability Higher than 80% of NSW Higher than 77% of NSW
Affordability Higher than 71% of NSW Higher than 55% of NSW
EV adoption Higher than 65% of NSW Higher than 66% of NSW
NBN connectivity Higher than 90% of NSW
same for both

Liveability

Tacoma is more walkable (45 vs 35).

Tacoma Tacoma South
Grade C —
Score 30/100 —
Socio-economic band mid-range socio-economic
decile 4/10
 mid-range socio-economic
decile 6/10

Risk profile

Tacoma carries more bushfire risk (60 vs 0); Tacoma carries more crime risk (76 vs 16).

Tacoma Tacoma South
Bushfire Moderate
60/100
 None
0/100
Crime High
76/100
 Low
16/100
Flood Not mapped
no mapped data here
same for both
Coastal erosion None
0/100
same for both
Aircraft noise None
0/100
same for both
Industrial facilities nearby 2
within 5 km
same for both

Schools

Tacoma Tacoma South
Inside the suburb 2 0
Rated above peers 0
same for both
Rated at peers 1 0
Rated below peers 1 0

Schools in Tacoma

  • Tacoma Public School Government · Primary at peers
  • HopeTown School Government · Combined · Special school below peers

Schools in Tacoma South

No schools recorded inside this suburb's boundary. Children here will be zoned to schools nearby.

Amenities in the suburb

Tacoma Tacoma South
Parks & reserves 2 0
Childcare 0 1

Mobility

Tacoma Tacoma South
Walkability score 45/100 35/100
Distance to Sydney 95.3 km 96.2 km
Drive time (normal traffic) 81 min 89 min
Electric vehicle share 0.6%
postcode 2259
same for both
Rooftop solar per 100 dwellings 56
postcode 2259
same for both

How people get to work

Method of travel on census day 2021 — which fell during COVID restrictions, so working from home is inflated and every travel mode understated.

Tacoma Tacoma South
Car (driver) 68.1% / 67.0%
Tacoma — Car (driver): 68.1% Tacoma South — Car (driver): 67.0%
Worked from Home 23.8% / 28.9%
Tacoma — Worked from Home: 23.8% Tacoma South — Worked from Home: 28.9%
Car (passenger) 4.8% / —
Tacoma — Car (passenger): 4.8% Tacoma South — Car (passenger): not among its largest
Train — / 4.1%
Tacoma — Train: not among its largest Tacoma South — Train: 4.1%
Walked Only 3.3% / —
Tacoma — Walked Only: 3.3% Tacoma South — Walked Only: not among its largest

Bars are drawn against the largest share shown (68.1%).

Setting

Tacoma Tacoma South
Elevation 6 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
 10 m
above sea level, at the suburb centre
Distance to the ocean 6.8 km 6.4 km

NBN connectivity

Tacoma Tacoma South
Connectivity score 82/100
same for both
Most common technology Fibre to the premises
same for both
Full-fibre (FTTP) share 67%
221 premises
 67%
106 premises

Climate

Tacoma Tacoma South
Annual rainfall 1,272 mm
same for both
Summer max (Jan) 26.4°C
same for both
Winter min (Jul) 10.6°C
same for both

Air quality (annual mean)

Tacoma Tacoma South
PM2.5 5.1 µg/m³
same for both
PM10 14.8 µg/m³
same for both
NO₂ 0.36 pphm
same for both

Council rates

Tacoma Tacoma South
Average residential rate $1,409/yr
same for both
Council Central Coast (NSW)
same for both

Federal electorate

Tacoma Tacoma South
Division Dobell
same for both
Member Emma Mcbride
same for both
Party Australian Labor Party
same for both

First Home Owner Grant

Tacoma Tacoma South
Grant amount $10,000
same for both
Property price cap $600,000
same for both
Eligibility New
same for both

Tags

Tacoma

Acreage Family

Tacoma South

—

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Full data on Tacoma Full data on Tacoma South
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Information shown is provided as-is from Australian government and commercial data sources.
Always verify with the relevant authority before making property decisions.
See Data Sources and How We Calculate for details.

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