37405 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
37405
98273
Opportunity
67 · Top 26%
vs62 · Top 36%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
73 · Top 39%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 32%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 31%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Access
49 · Bottom 3%
vs62 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 37405 | 98273 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,109 | 30,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,337 | $76,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $71,405 | $39,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 333/sq mi | 357/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $460,600 | $492,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,438 | $1,287 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.7% | 61.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.4% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.3% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 993 | 61 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.3 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.6% | 0.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 69°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 55.0" | 19.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 86 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.6 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
37405
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
98273
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity, earthquake, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 37405 — Chattanooga, TN · 98273 — Mount Vernon, WA · How this is calculated: methodology