98011 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98040
98011
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 42%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Growth
27 · Bottom 13%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 17%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
71 · Top 29%
vs80 · Top 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 98040 | 98011 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,307 | 28,963 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $219,069 | $131,667 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $128,615 | $70,138 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,965/sq mi | 4,106/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $933,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,502 | $2,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.0% | 57.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.4% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.8% | 4.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 109 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.0% | -66.7% | 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 | 36.5" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 27.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.4 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.15 | 18.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 6.9% | 24.9% | 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
98040
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98011
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98040 — Mercer Island, WA · 98011 — Bothell, WA · How this is calculated: methodology