98040 and 98056 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
98040
98056
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 42%
vs46 · Bottom 32%
Growth
27 · Bottom 13%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 17%
vs58 · Bottom 20%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
71 · Top 29%
vs74 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 98040 | 98056 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,307 | 35,849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $219,069 | $113,688 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $128,615 | $60,863 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,965/sq mi | 4,741/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $2,000,001 | $797,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,502 | $2,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.0% | 54.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.4% | 43.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.8% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.0% | -13.2% | 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" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 32.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.4 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.15 | 20.04 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 6.9% | 44.3% | 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.
98056
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98040 — Mercer Island, WA · 98056 — Renton, WA · How this is calculated: methodology