98117 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98029
98117
Opportunity
55 · Top 50%
vs56 · Top 47%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 32%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Access
92 · Bottom 48%
vs94 · Top 47%
Economic stability
83 · Top 7%
vs84 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 98029 | 98117 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,586 | 35,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $170,759 | $182,984 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $97,208 | $95,671 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,006/sq mi | 8,982/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,063,200 | $1,043,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,740 | $2,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.3% | 72.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 72.2% | 75.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.9% | 4.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 165 | 4,827 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 6.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 345.9% | 25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.8 min | 29.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.44 | 18.90 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 10.9% | 13.2% | 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
98029
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98117
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98029 — Issaquah, WA · 98117 — Seattle, WA · How this is calculated: methodology