(The Center Square) – Pierce County will see an additional $2.54 billion in new construction to the 2026 property tax assessment roll, with county officials saying it reflects strong economic growth in the region.
According to the county, the $2.54 billion in new construction is an 11.3% increase over last year’s $2.26 billion in certified construction. It also exceeds the county’s six-year average of $2.41 billion.
Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer Marty Campbell certified the 2026 property tax assessment roll on Monday.
“This is a very positive number for Pierce County and exceeds our earlier projections,” Campbell said in a statement. “It reflects strong growth and sustained investment across the region.”
New construction serves as a critical source of revenue for Washington counties because it is exempt from the state’s 1% cap on property tax growth that has been in place since 2001. Numerous counties have pointed to this state law for their respective budget issues.
Unincorporated parts of Pierce County made up the majority of new construction growth with a total of $1.4 billion, or 55% of the new construction in 2026.
Out of Pierce County cities, Tacoma – the most populous city in the region – is set for $521.95 million in new construction – more than any other city in the county.
Other notable increases in construction include the cities of Sumner with $159.29 million and Lakewood with $102.97 million.
As the county assessor, Campbell is required by state law to evaluate and add construction to the tax roll each year, including newly built residential and commercial properties, as well as major remodels.
Property owners that received updated assessments can appeal them to the Pierce County Board of Equalization by Nov. 25.
The Center Square reached out to Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello for comment but did not receive a response at the time of this publication.
