This map was completed as part of the thesis project, "Site Selection of Medium Density Housing in Tacoma, Washington: Where to Place 'Missing Middle' Housing?" Medium density housing refers to a type of housing for multiple units to occupy the same approximate space as a large single family home. As cities continue to grow, density of housing must increase to house the expanding populations.

In the project, a variety of demographic and infrastructure data in both vector and raster formats were integrated using the Weighted Sum tool to understand the suitability of MDH. Two scenarios were simulated, one where residents prioritized motor vehicles as their primary mode of transport while the latter prioritized walking and public transit usage.

The map above shows the suitability for medium density housing for every parcel in the City of Tacoma. Counts of the number of parcels scored are also noted. Overall, this map indicates that for driving households, most of the residential areas would be suitable for housing medium density housing. In other words, their quality of life would not be significantly inhibited wherever they live, so long as they own a motor vehicle.