City comparison
Olympia, WA is about 30 miles (40 km) from Tacoma, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 31 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 Olympia, WA to Tacoma, WA takes about 3 min, covering roughly 30 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 55,151 in Olympia — about 4.0× larger by population. By land area, Tacoma covers about 50 sq mi vs 18 sq mi for Olympia.
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 | Olympia | Tacoma | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,437/mo | $1,489/mo | 3.6% higher in Tacoma |
| Median home value | $409,700 | $415,300 | 1.4% higher in Tacoma |
| Median household income | $73,851 | $79,085 | 7.1% higher in Tacoma |
| Groceries index | 104.9 | 103.0 | 1.8% higher in Olympia |
| Utilities index | 94.7 | 92.5 | 2.4% higher in Olympia |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 108.1 | 8.1% higher in Tacoma |
| Healthcare index | 99.9 | 108.8 | 8.9% 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 Olympia, you'd need $114,601 in Tacoma to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Olympia, WA is about 12.7% cheaper overall than Tacoma, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 27% higher in Tacoma than in Olympia. If you earn $80,000 in Olympia, you'd need about $91,681 in Tacoma to keep the same standard of living.