City comparison
Kent, WA is about 10 miles (20 km) from Tacoma, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 20 miles, or about 19 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Kent, WA to Tacoma, WA takes about 2 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Tacoma has a population of 219,234, vs 135,169 in Kent — about 1.6× larger by population. By land area, Tacoma covers about 50 sq mi vs 34 sq mi for Kent.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Kent | Tacoma | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,742/mo | $1,489/mo | 17.0% higher in Kent |
| Median home value | $478,400 | $415,300 | 15.2% higher in Kent |
| Median household income | $86,966 | $79,085 | 10.0% higher in Kent |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 103.0 | 0.9% higher in Kent |
| Utilities index | 95.7 | 92.5 | 3.5% higher in Kent |
| Transportation index | 106.6 | 108.1 | 1.3% higher in Tacoma |
| Healthcare index | 106.6 | 108.8 | 2.0% higher in Tacoma |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Kent, you'd need $99,458 in Tacoma to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Tacoma, WA is about 0.5% cheaper overall than Kent, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Kent, you'd need about $79,566 in Tacoma to keep the same standard of living.