Home Affordability in Pierce County, WA
A typical home in Pierce County is worth $572,113, up 0.2% year over year. The effective property tax rate is 0.91% of value, and the 2026 conforming loan limit here is $1,063,750 — borrow more than that and you need a jumbo loan.
Assumes housing costs stay at 33% of gross income — the sustainable middle, not the maximum a lender would approve. A typical home in Pierce County costs $572,113. Rates as of 5 September 2026; they move weekly and your quote will differ.
What each income buys here
| Household income | Conventional | VA | Zero-down CU | FHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $315,000 | $261,000 | $239,000 | $255,000 |
| $100,000 | $431,000 | $357,000 | $328,000 | $349,000 |
| $125,000 | $547,000 | $453,000 | $416,000 | $443,000 |
| $150,000 | $663,000 | $549,000 | $504,000 | $537,000 |
| $200,000 | $895,000 | $741,000 | $681,000 | $725,000 |
Conventional assumes 20% down. VA and credit-union 100% financing assume zero down with the funding fee financed into the loan; FHA assumes 3.5% down with mortgage insurance for the life of the loan. All hold housing at 33% of gross income and cap total debt at the program’s underwriting limit.
Towns in Pierce County
| Town | Typical home | Year over year | Income needed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma | $496,203 | -0.1% | $114,000 | Details |
| Puyallup | $573,027 | 0% | $131,000 | Details |
| Lakewood | $525,021 | +0.1% | $120,000 | Details |
| Spanaway | $511,873 | +0.5% | $117,000 | Details |
| Bonney Lake | $675,413 | -0.4% | $153,000 | Details |
| Gig Harbor | $825,326 | +0.3% | $185,000 | Details |
| University Place | $662,353 | -0.7% | $150,000 | Details |
| Graham | $604,552 | -0.2% | $137,000 | Details |
| Parkland | $471,594 | +0.2% | $109,000 | Details |
| Buckley | $660,501 | -0.3% | $149,000 | Details |
| Orting | $560,297 | -0.9% | $128,000 | Details |
| Sumner | $597,314 | +0.9% | $136,000 | Details |
| Edgewood | $738,116 | -0.2% | $166,000 | Details |
| Roy | $626,454 | +0.2% | $142,000 | Details |
| Fife | $557,282 | -0.3% | $127,000 | Details |
| Dupont | $561,142 | +0.7% | $128,000 | Details |
| Eatonville | $600,077 | +0.5% | $136,000 | Details |
| Frederickson | $542,227 | +1.1% | $124,000 | Details |
| Midland | $491,682 | +0.3% | $113,000 | Details |
| Waller | $597,635 | +0.7% | $136,000 | Details |
| Summit | $592,588 | -0.3% | $135,000 | Details |
| Clover Creek | $534,960 | +0.8% | $122,000 | Details |
| Milton | $572,843 | -0.2% | $131,000 | Details |
| Fircrest | $629,367 | +0.5% | $143,000 | Details |
| Steilacoom | $645,132 | +0.2% | $146,000 | Details |
| Lakebay | $537,315 | -0.7% | $123,000 | Details |
| Fox Island | $1,074,695 | +1% | $239,000 | Details |
| Ruston | $763,265 | +4.9% | $172,000 | Details |
| Ashford | $385,223 | +0.8% | $90,000 | Details |
| Vaughn | $734,490 | +0.3% | $165,000 | Details |
| Carbonado | $533,526 | +0.8% | $122,000 | Details |
| Longbranch | $631,620 | +0.4% | $143,000 | Details |
| Wilkeson | $451,479 | +0.8% | $104,000 | Details |
The cheapest places in the county are Ashford ($385K), Wilkeson ($451K), Parkland ($472K).
How the zero-down math actually works
Putting nothing down does not simply move the down payment to zero — it costs you twice. Zero-down programs price above conventional, and they finance a funding fee into the balance, so you start out owing more than the house cost. In Pierce County that difference is worth roughly $159K of purchasing power at a $150,000 income.
The exception is the VA loan. If anyone on the loan is Active Duty, Reserve, or a Veteran, it prices below conventional and charges no mortgage insurance — and the funding fee is waived entirely with any VA disability rating. It is almost always the cheapest zero-down option, and it is worth about $45K more house than a credit-union 100% loan here.