98020 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98020
98005
Opportunity
56 · Top 46%
vs55 · Top 49%
Growth
72 · Top 13%
vs71 · Top 13%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 34%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 23%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
89 · Bottom 36%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
72 · Top 27%
vs73 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 98020 | 98005 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,551 | 21,846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $130,319 | $160,849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $95,813 | $101,557 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,778/sq mi | 2,977/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,031,500 | $1,519,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,978 | $2,389 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.9% | 50.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.7% | 70.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.0% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 452 | 1,767 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.6 | 11.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 841.7% | 200.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.4 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 51.2 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.61 | 20.40 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.6% | 23.6% | 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
98020
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98005
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98020 — Edmonds, WA · 98005 — Bellevue, WA · How this is calculated: methodology