98023 and 98056 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
98023
98056
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 21%
vs46 · Bottom 32%
Growth
24 · Bottom 11%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 30%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs74 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 98023 | 98056 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 50,448 | 35,849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,893 | $113,688 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,636 | $60,863 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,920/sq mi | 4,741/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $589,900 | $797,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,900 | $2,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.6% | 54.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 43.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.8% | -13.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.4 min | 32.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.46 | 20.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.6% | 44.3% | 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
98023
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98056
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98023 — Federal Way, WA · 98056 — Renton, WA · How this is calculated: methodology