98404 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
95356
98404
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 21%
vs41 · Bottom 23%
Growth
63 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 9%
Climate
77 · Top 26%
vs74 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
22 · Bottom 17%
vs32 · Bottom 23%
Housing affordability
63 · Bottom 40%
vs69 · Bottom 49%
Access
96 · Bottom 47%
vs90 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
69 · Top 27%
vs61 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | 95356 | 98404 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,233 | 35,961 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,886 | $82,191 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,112 | $33,598 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,496/sq mi | 5,094/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $532,600 | $413,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,877 | $1,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.6% | 68.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.7% | 21.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 768 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 247.5% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 95°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 39°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 12.3" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.2 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 35.1 | 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
95356
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
98404
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 95356 — Modesto, CA · 98404 — Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology