RANK #824 / 1001 NAT · #13 / 21 WA · POP 930,319
1YR FORECAST: -1.1%
5YR OUTLOOK: +23%
Mount Rainier, a prominent feature on the eastern edge of Pierce County, is a major draw, offering extensive hiking trails and year-round recreation. Located in western Washington, Pierce County sits about 32 miles south of Seattle, with Tacoma serving as its largest city and county seat. The county's landscape blends urban areas with natural beauty, including Puget Sound, rivers, lakes, and forests. Commute options include public transit, carpooling, and vanpooling, with resources available for planning trips and finding rideshares. Towns like Gig Harbor offer a waterfront atmosphere, while Puyallup is known for the Washington State Fair. The community feel varies from urban in Tacoma to more rural in areas like Eatonville and Orting, which offer mountain views and larger lots.
Life in Pierce County offers a mix of urban and rural experiences, with access to education, healthcare, and various employment opportunities. Families often consider the public schools, which are generally above average, with districts like Puyallup School District having a good reputation. The economy, historically rooted in timber, has diversified to include sectors such as aerospace, technology, and healthcare. Major employers include Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Port of Tacoma. While the county has seen job growth in education, health services, and trade, it also faces challenges with housing affordability and an elevated local inflation rate.
Pierce County is one of 78 U.S. counties in this market profile — weaker than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of -0.5% matches the profile's typical -0.8%.
See all 78 Western Premium Correction counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Prices detached from rents
Housing looks overvalued at 19.6x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. Climate and geography support a structural premium. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Source: EPA Air Quality System (2021–2023). Grade based on 3-year average median AQI. Learn about AQI →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Greenwater Energy Storage Project
BrightNight and Cordelio Power
|
$400M | Under Construction |
|
Centeris Data Center Expansion (Voltage Park)
Voltage Park / Centeris Data Centers
|
$200M | Under Construction |
|
Frederickson 1 Generating Station (Capital Power Acquisition)
Capital Power / Puget Sound Energy
|
$50M | Operating |
|
Tacoma LNG Facility and PSE Natural Gas Distribution System Upgrades
Puget Sound Energy (PSE)
|
$50M | Operating |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Pierce County scores just 17/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #824 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +1.1% and median household income of $99,564 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Pierce County leans toward the expensive side. A median home value of $526,600 against an income-to-home-value ratio of 0.19 means housing eats a bigger share of local earnings than the national norm. Renters face $1,806/month on average.
Pierce County is growing on multiple fronts. Population is up +0.7% year-over-year while employers added jobs at a +1.1% clip. Home values shifted -0.5% in the past year.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 3.24% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Pierce County has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.