Tacoma, Lakewood Lead Washington In Gen Z Renters: Study

PIERCE COUNTY, WA — Gen Z renters are on the rise across Washington, and many are finding homes right in Pierce County.

According to a recent study by apartment listing service RENTCafé, the number of Gen Z renters in Washington grew 37 percent from 2019 to 2020. And nowhere saw bigger change than Tacoma. In 2019, just 20 percent of Tacoma renters were Gen Z. By 2020, 28% of Tacoma renters were Gen Z. For comparison, just 17 percent of Seattle renters are Gen Z.

Here's a look at the top trending cities in Washington for Gen Z renters:

For the record: common wisdom is that Gen Z is anyone born roughly between 1997 and 2014, meaning the oldest are 24-years-old.

For all the growth Tacoma saw, it still has a ways to go before it becomes the top dog for Gen Z renters: that title belongs to Lakewood, where one in three renters is Gen Z.

Here are RENTCafé's top five cities in Washington with the largest share of Gen Z renters.

Across all of Washington state, 23 percent of renters are Gen Z. The state with the highest percentage of Gen Z voters is South Dakota, where 39 percent of renters are 24 or younger.

Interestingly, RENTCafé says Gen Z is largely flocking to the heartland, and away from the cities — which may also explain why Lakewood and Tacoma are outpacing crowded Seattle.

Find the full results of their study, including data for all 50 states, by visiting the RENTCafé blog.