City comparison
Renton, WA is about 20 miles (30 km) from Tacoma, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 25 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 Renton, WA to Tacoma, WA takes about 2 min, covering roughly 20 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 105,355 in Renton — about 2.1× larger by population. By land area, Tacoma covers about 50 sq mi vs 24 sq mi for Renton.
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 | Renton | Tacoma | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,864/mo | $1,489/mo | 25.2% higher in Renton |
| Median home value | $576,800 | $415,300 | 38.9% higher in Renton |
| Median household income | $92,292 | $79,085 | 16.7% higher in Renton |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 103.0 | 0.9% higher in Renton |
| Utilities index | 95.7 | 92.5 | 3.5% higher in Renton |
| 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 Renton, you'd need $99,161 in Tacoma to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Tacoma, WA is about 0.8% cheaper overall than Renton, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 2% higher in Renton than in Tacoma. If you earn $80,000 in Renton, you'd need about $79,329 in Tacoma to keep the same standard of living.