98005 and 98422 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
98005
98422
Opportunity
55 · Top 49%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
71 · Top 13%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 17%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
73 · Top 25%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 98005 | 98422 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,846 | 21,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $160,849 | $118,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $101,557 | $55,678 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,977/sq mi | 3,086/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,519,500 | $663,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,389 | $2,180 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.7% | 78.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 70.2% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 5.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,767 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.6 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 200.5% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.0 min | 35.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.40 | 19.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 23.6% | 41.6% | 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
98005
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98422
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98005 — Bellevue, WA · 98422 — Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology