98021 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98021
98258
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 49%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs40 · Bottom 35%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 34%
vs45 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 44%
vs68 · Bottom 33%
Access
89 · Bottom 37%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
87 · Top 3%
vs83 · Top 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 98021 | 98258 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,631 | 52,752 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $183,786 | $123,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $79,080 | $50,096 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,512/sq mi | 1,423/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $967,700 | $653,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,655 | $2,199 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 81.1% | 78.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.7% | 33.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.9% | 4.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 98 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -66.7% | -68.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 37.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 36.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.25 | 19.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 19.6% | 32.6% | 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
98021
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98258
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98021 — Bothell, WA · 98258 — Lake Stevens, WA · How this is calculated: methodology