Central Tacoma is a diverse district of Tacoma located, as its name implies, right in the middle of town. This part of the city feels like all the others mixed together as it is bordered by North, South, and West Tacoma as well as downtown. This is a good place to live if you want to be close to everything and if you want affordable housing and apartments.
Boundaries
Central Tacoma is not as easy to pin down as North Tacoma or South Tacoma as there are no streets labeled “central.” It is located in between all the rest of the districts of the city, bounded on the east by L Street, to the south on Center Street and SR 16, on the west by SR 16 again, and by 6th Avenue to the north.
Transportation
Freeway access from Central Tacoma is generally convenient. SR 16 allows quick access to Gig Harbor as well as I-5. If you prefer to skip 16 for any reason, there are I-5 exits not too far away in downtown Tacoma. 705 also goes through downtown and provides easy access to I-5.
For bus riders, Pierce Transit has many routes in Central Tacoma. These include routes 1, 2, 3, 28, 57, 102, and 601. The closest transit centers are at Tacoma Community College and the Tacoma Dome station downtown.
Homes and Condos
The average sale price of homes in Central Tacoma is about $153,000 (as of 2011) according to Zillow.com. A good portion of the homes are 1,000 to 1,800 square feet with a fair chunk of them below and above these amounts. Most of the homes located here are 1940s vintage and older, with newer homes scattered in as well. Central Tacoma neighborhoods vary in feel from kind of rundown to solidly middle class. You won’t find a ton of terribly upscale feeling neighborhoods here, but this is a good part of town if you want affordability and central location.
Apartments
Apartments in Central Tacoma are available in pockets in a few different parts of this district. Apartment complexes are plentiful along Orchard Street and the stretch of Orchard in Central Tacoma is no exception. Look right around 12th and 6th for a few options that will put you close to lots of shops, restaurants, and the freeway. Right around 19th and Stevens and along 6th Avenue between Sprague and Alder (often a block or two off of the main drag) are both good areas to look, usually for smaller apartment buildings rather than complexes. 6th Avenue has a few buildings with apartments located above businesses if you want an urban chic way to go.
Things to Do
Central Tacoma has a few things to do, most likely appealing most to residents who live close by, but also a few bigger draws. Cheney Stadium is located within this district off of 19th near Tyler. Minor league Rainiers baseball games take place here, as do fireworks on Friday home games throughout the summer.
Snake Lake Park is very close to Cheney Stadium and is cool for a few reasons. If you have kids, there is a nature center here that is sure to be a hit. For anyone, the trails here are some of the best hikes in Tacoma and are worth checking out. There are a few other parks here, too, but smaller ones, including Franklin Park and Jefferson Park. If you enjoy golfing, the Allenmore Golf Club is also just off of 19th Street.
Perhaps some of the best things to do in Central Tacoma are located along the popular 6th Avenue area. Between Sprague and Proctor on this street you’ll find lots of small shops, restaurants, and great nightlife spots.
Schools
Bryant Elementary School - 717 South Grant Avenue
Delong Elementary School - 1201 Moorlands Drive
Franklin Elementary School - 1402 South Lawrence Street
McCarver Elementary School - 2111 South "J" Street
Stanley Elementary School - 1712 South 17th Street
Henry Foss High School - 2112 South Tyler Street
Bellarmine Preparatory - 2300 South Washington Street
Evergreen State College, Tacoma Campus - 1202 South Martin Luther King Jr. Way