98002 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98003
98002
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 11%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
24 · Bottom 11%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 11%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs94 · Top 45%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 45%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 98003 | 98002 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,619 | 37,509 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,319 | $78,684 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,775 | $35,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,488/sq mi | 5,236/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $476,600 | $421,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,723 | $1,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.9% | 48.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.7% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 49 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.6 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.77 | 17.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 75.4% | 66.9% | 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
98003
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98002
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98003 — Federal Way, WA · 98002 — Auburn, WA · How this is calculated: methodology