Tacoma was ranked one of the top five places to live by NBC’s “The Today Show,” which comes as no to surprise to the people who live here.
The rankings were released Monday and compiled by Frances Katzen, a real estate broker with Douglas Elliman Real Estate.
Considered “booming” cities seeing the most growth in the United States this year, criteria used in the rankings included work-life balance, schools, outdoor life, cost of living, job security, community/diversity and growth.
For Tacoma, “The Today Show” touted access to the outdoors, job security and “a quality of life cost that is 20 percent less expensive.”
Also on the list were Round Rock, Texas; Sarasota, Florida; Bridgeport, Connecticut; and Raleigh, North Carolina. Tacoma ranked third.
Listen to “The Today Show” segment: Here are the top 5 booming cities where people want to live (today.com)
“I honestly believe the secret behind Tacoma’s livability is rooted in the way this community collaborates,” remarked Metro Parks Executive Director Shon Sylvia. “People partner without hesitation when it comes to ensuring kids in our community are supported as they grow and develop. There’s a deep sense of pride in the diversity of cultures within the community and everyone works together to uplift one another. And, there’s unity in caring for the shorelines, forests, and open spaces that provide our vital connection to nature within a major city.”
Reasons Metro Parks Tacoma agrees with this ranking:
- The city has a Whole Child initiative that brings schools, families, parks, and community partners together to take care of our kids and show them they matter. The program helps children not only develop academically and physically, but also learn how to build meaningful relationships, resolve conflict, and gain skills to manage emotions.
- Outdoor life in Tacoma is easy to come by with more than 65 parks spanning 2,905 acres and 87 miles of trail. Residents also have access to two zoos, ancient forest, nine community gardens, sport complexes, pools, a golf course, a marina and more. Metro Parks Tacoma is actively working toward a strategic priority to ensure each person lives within a 10-minute walk to green space by 2030.
- Tacoma Public Schools boasted an all-time high school graduation rate of 90.2 percent in 2022, and garnered national and international recognition for the mental health support they provide to students.
- Tacoma is one of the most racially diverse cities in Washington State, with nearly 40 percent of residents being Latino, African American, Asian and Pacific Islander, Native American or multiracial. Metro Parks Tacoma passed an anti-racism resolution in 2020 and the city’s Office of Equity and Human Rights has established anti-racist practices in local government.
- The Pacific Northwest has a wonderful climate that supports being outside in all seasons and Metro Parks Tacoma offers year-round outdoor and indoor activities, with programming and self-directed activities for our community 365 days a year.
Did “The Today Show” consider any negative factors in the City of Tacoma: Out-of-control crime like murder, auto theft/car jacking, robbery, and illegal drug use; rapidly growing homeless population with a significant number of people with drug addiction and untreated mental health problems; and, many other serious issues. Though I commend MetroParks and many other organizations for trying to solve those problems, it seems that the root causes of crime and homelessness are being ignored–Drug addiction and untreated mental health. Many people don’t seem to be held accountable for murder, rape, violent assault, robbery, using illegal drugs, camping in public spaces, and much more. Like the KOMO News show “Seattle is Dying” (Tacoma is dying, too) pointed out four years ago, other communities are treating people compassionately by holding them accountable and actually helping them out of a completely destructive lifestyle that affects many more than just the individual. This is a Puget Sound problem, including Tacoma. When people commit crimes, our communities must start holding people accountable and getting them help. True compassion helps people out of such a destructive life!
My wife and I came to Tacoma 39 years ago. We thought Tacoma nice enough to make it our home. We rented an apartment for several months and then rented a small house for two years. We then bought our own home. All three were in Tacoma. In 2007, we needed a larger home so we could move an ailing parent in with us. This is what brought us to our current home in Lakewood. These days, I don’t even like to venture into Tacoma at all if I don’t have to. I have seen drug addicted able bodied young men passed out on Tacoma city sidewalks. I have witnessed people defecating on Tacoma city sidewalks. Every single time I drive into Tacoma I see a new homeless complex. To put it bluntly, Tacoma is disgusting! It seems that Tacoma has chosen to follow in Seattle’s foot steps. My wife and I have called western Washington home for 39 years. Our home has been destroyed! Tacoma and many other western Washington cities can hardly be called nice places to live!
Really?? Do people even watch “The Today Show” anymore?? I thought it was cancelled years ago, lol!