98031 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98030
98031
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs41 · Bottom 23%
Growth
25 · Bottom 11%
vs25 · Bottom 11%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 16%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
78 · Top 15%
vs71 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 98030 | 98031 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,523 | 40,094 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,761 | $105,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,046 | $46,315 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,358/sq mi | 5,185/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $582,400 | $611,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,899 | $1,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.2% | 67.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.0% | 32.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.1% | 10.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 109 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.1% | -12.1% | 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 | 8 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.4 min | 33.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 38.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.70 | 18.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 69.2% | 56.9% | 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
98030
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98031
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98030 — Kent, WA · 98031 — Kent, WA · How this is calculated: methodology