98055 and 98030 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
98055
98030
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 27%
vs38 · Bottom 17%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs25 · Bottom 11%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
49 · Bottom 12%
vs54 · Bottom 16%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
77 · Top 16%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 98055 | 98030 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,660 | 38,523 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,224 | $91,761 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,955 | $38,046 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,528/sq mi | 5,358/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $602,800 | $582,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,210 | $1,899 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 54.8% | 52.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.5% | 27.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 7.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 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) | -13.2% | -12.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 33.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.75 | 17.70 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.4% | 69.2% | 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
98055
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98030
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98055 — Renton, WA · 98030 — Kent, WA · How this is calculated: methodology