Gig Harbor
A working harbor with a small-town waterfront, across the Narrows Bridge from Tacoma.
Waterfront and view homes near the harbor, family neighborhoods up the hill, acreage toward Purdy.
Read the Gig Harbor guideNeighborhood guides
Each place on the peninsula and in Tacoma's north end has its own pace. These guides cover what it feels like, real places to go, the commute and a link to the school district's own site. I don't rank schools.
Fox Island
An island neighborhood reached by a short bridge, with beaches and very little through traffic.
Waterfront and beach homes, wooded lots, a few older cabins waiting for a new owner.
Read the Fox Island guide
Key Peninsula
Rural roads, forest and long shorelines for people who want space and water.
Acreage, waterfront cabins, newer homes on wooded lots, some manufactured homes on land.
Read the Key Peninsula guide
North Tacoma
Craftsman porches, the Proctor District and Point Defiance Park at the end of the street.
Craftsman, foursquare and Tudor homes from the early 1900s, plus mid-century homes on the north slope.
Read the North Tacoma guide
Ruston and the waterfront
A small town inside Tacoma's north end, next to Point Ruston and the water.
Waterfront condos and townhomes, older hillside homes with water views.
Read the Ruston and the waterfront guide
University Place
Quiet residential streets, Chambers Bay and sunsets over the Narrows.
Mid-century ramblers, newer subdivisions, view homes on the Narrows side.
Read the University Place guide