98105 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
94601
98105
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 25%
vs50 · Bottom 42%
Growth
44 · Bottom 38%
vs61 · Top 30%
Climate
85 · Top 13%
vs74 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
36 · Bottom 27%
vs40 · Bottom 28%
Housing affordability
31 · Bottom 5%
vs28 · Bottom 4%
Access
99 · Top 12%
vs95 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs40 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 94601 | 98105 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 53,259 | 49,767 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,359 | $74,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,168 | $60,839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 16,649/sq mi | 12,970/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $710,000 | $1,312,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,721 | $1,849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 36.4% | 31.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 78.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.7% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 991 | 4,827 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.3 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 240.5% | 25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.7" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.9 min | 26.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 24.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
94601
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
98105
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 94601 — Oakland, CA · 98105 — Seattle, WA · How this is calculated: methodology