98115 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98034
98115
Opportunity
55 · Top 50%
vs56 · Top 48%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 22%
vs66 · Bottom 30%
Access
92 · Bottom 48%
vs94 · Top 45%
Economic stability
80 · Top 11%
vs80 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 98034 | 98115 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 52,531 | 54,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $135,219 | $156,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $80,426 | $91,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,353/sq mi | 8,294/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $946,300 | $1,094,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,376 | $2,143 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.2% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.5% | 80.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.9% | 5.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 452 | 4,827 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 6.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.4% | 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 | 37.8" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.61 | 18.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.1% | 16.8% | 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
98034
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98115
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98034 — Kirkland, WA · 98115 — Seattle, WA · How this is calculated: methodology