Tacoma Rent Increase 2026: 9.683% Cap

Where 9.683% sits

9.683% for increases between January 1 and December 31, 2026. Commerce has published 10% for calendar 2027.

Increase takes effect in 202710%
Increase takes effect in 20269.683%

§ 1 · The formula

How the Tacoma cap is calculated

7% + Seattle CPI-U (June to June), max 10%

7% plus the June 12-month change in CPI-U for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue (BLS series CUURS49DSA0), or 10%, whichever is less. For 2026, Commerce used June 2024 = 354.824 and June 2025 = 364.344.

Law: Washington rent stabilization (RCW 59.18.700–.710); Tacoma Rental Housing Code (TMC ch. 1.95) and Landlord Fairness Code (TMC ch. 1.100).

§ 2 · Coverage

Who it covers, and who's exempt

Covered

Tenancies under the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18) unless exempt; no increase in the first 12 months of a tenancy

Main exemptions & conditions

Units whose first certificate of occupancy was issued 12 years or less before the notice
Units owned by public housing authorities, public development authorities and qualifying nonprofits with regulated rents
Qualifying low-income and tax-credit (LIHTC) housing
A unit where the tenant shares a bathroom or kitchen with the owner-occupant
Owner-occupied single-family homes (renting up to two units or bedrooms, including an ADU), and owner-occupied duplexes to fourplexes (not if owned by a REIT or corporation)

§ 3 · Timing

Notice, and when it changes next

Notice: At least 180 days' written notice of any increase in housing costs (Tacoma Municipal Code ch. 1.95), longer than the state's 90 days.

Next change: The 10% cap for 2027 takes effect January 1, 2027. The 2028 figure follows the June 2027 CPI, published in mid-July 2027.

§ 2a · Local rules

Tacoma's Rental Housing Code

180 days' notice
Any increase in periodic or monthly housing costs needs at least 180 days' written notice, stating the percentage, the new rent and the effective date.
Source: “Any notice of rent increase shall specify the percentage of the rent increase, the amount of the new rent, and the date on which the increase becomes effective”
Relocation assistance for increases of 5% or more
A tenant who moves out rather than pay an increase of 5% or more within 12 months can request relocation assistance: two months' rent, rising to two and a half months over 7.5% and three months over 10%.
Source: “The tenant relocation assistance amounts shall be equal to two months of rent for rent increases of 5 percent or more within a 12-month period.”

Cost of living here

Rents and prices around Tacoma

Official figures only, each for the area named. Prices are for the wider metro area; rents and incomes are for the city itself.

Price level

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area · BEA 2024

All items111.1

Housing151.3

Regional Price Parities: an index where the US average price level for all items = 100. Housing is BEA’s “Services: Housing” line (US = 100.6).

Fair Market Rents

Tacoma, WA HUD Metro FMR Area · HUD FY2027

HUD Fair Market Rent per month by unit size, Tacoma, WA HUD Metro FMR Area
Studio	$1,491
1 bedroom	$1,682
2 bedrooms	$2,064
3 bedrooms	$2,849
4 bedrooms	$3,219

Monthly gross rent (rent plus utilities). HUD: FMRs are “estimates of 40th percentile gross rents for standard quality units”.

Rents and incomes

Tacoma city, Washington · ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Median gross rent: $1,676/mo US $1,413/mo
Median household income: $85,884 US $80,734
Median rent as % of household income: 32.4% US 30.6%

Gross rent includes utilities. The rent-to-income figure is for renter households (Census table B25071).

Sources

BEA Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area (MARPP) ↗ · 2024 (released February 19, 2026) · about the data ↗ · retrieved Oct 18, 2026
OMB metropolitan area delineations (Census list 1, July 2023) ↗ · July 2023 (OMB Bulletin 23-01) · retrieved Oct 18, 2026
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027 (county-level data file) ↗ · FY2027 · about the data ↗ · retrieved Oct 18, 2026
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (tables B25064, B19013, B25071) ↗ · 2020–2024 · about the data ↗ · retrieved Oct 18, 2026

Compare Tacoma with another city → All places ranked → Can I afford my rent? →

§ 4 · Sources

Official sources

City of Tacoma · 180-day notice Tacoma Municipal Code ch. 1.95 (Rental Housing Code), rev. 12/2025 ↗
“A landlord is required to provide at least 180 days’ written notice, whenever the periodic or monthly housing costs to be charged a tenant will increase by any amount”
Last checked October 18, 2026 · cms.tacoma.gov
City of Tacoma · relocation assistance Tacoma Municipal Code ch. 1.100 (Landlord Fairness Code Initiative), rev. 12/2025 ↗
“The tenant relocation assistance amounts shall be equal to two months of rent for rent increases of 5 percent or more within a 12-month period.”
Last checked October 18, 2026 · cms.tacoma.gov
Washington State Department of Commerce · headline figure HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center ↗
“between 1/1/2026 and 12/31/2026 is 9.683%”
Last checked October 17, 2026 · commerce.wa.gov
Washington State Department of Commerce · 2027 figure HB 1217 Landlord Resource Center ↗
“Maximum annual rent increase percent through 12/31/2027: 10%”
Last checked October 17, 2026 · commerce.wa.gov
Washington State Legislature · exemptions RCW 59.18.710 Exemptions ↗
“A tenancy in a dwelling unit for which the first certificate of occupancy was issued 12 or less years before the date of the notice of the rent increase.”
Last checked October 17, 2026 · app.leg.wa.gov
Washington State Legislature · notice RCW 59.18.140 (notice of rent increase) ↗
“a landlord shall provide a minimum of 90 days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent to each affected tenant”
Last checked October 18, 2026 · app.leg.wa.gov

See something out of date? The methodology page explains how we check figures.

§ 5 · Questions

Frequently asked

What is the maximum rent increase in Tacoma for 2026 and 2027?

Tacoma uses Washington's statewide cap: 9.683% for increases taking effect in 2026 and 10% in 2027. Tacoma requires 180 days' written notice, and increases of 5% or more can trigger relocation assistance.

How is the Tacoma rent cap calculated?

7% plus the June 12-month change in CPI-U for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue (BLS series CUURS49DSA0), or 10%, whichever is less. For 2026, Commerce used June 2024 = 354.824 and June 2025 = 364.344.

Which rentals are exempt from the Tacoma cap?

Units whose first certificate of occupancy was issued 12 years or less before the notice. Units owned by public housing authorities, public development authorities and qualifying nonprofits with regulated rents. Qualifying low-income and tax-credit (LIHTC) housing.

When does the Tacoma rent cap change next?

The 10% cap for 2027 takes effect January 1, 2027. The 2028 figure follows the June 2027 CPI, published in mid-July 2027.

Where does this Tacoma figure come from?

From City of Tacoma: “Tacoma Municipal Code ch. 1.95 (Rental Housing Code), rev. 12/2025”, which we last checked on October 18, 2026. Always confirm with the agency before relying on it.

Same state

What's the maximum rent increase in Tacoma for 2026 and 2027?