98032 and 98003 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
98032
98003
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 15%
vs33 · Bottom 11%
Growth
25 · Bottom 11%
vs24 · Bottom 11%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 12%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 41%
vs57 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 98032 | 98003 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,862 | 51,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,636 | $75,319 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,841 | $35,775 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,397/sq mi | 4,488/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $520,800 | $476,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,862 | $1,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.7% | 46.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 27.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.3% | 15.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 93 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.1% | -8.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.8 min | 33.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.9 | 35.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.24 | 18.77 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 74.4% | 75.4% | 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
98032
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98003
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98032 — Kent, WA · 98003 — Federal Way, WA · How this is calculated: methodology