98117 and 98026 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
98117
98026
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs56 · Top 48%
Growth
61 · Top 32%
vs72 · Top 13%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs45 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs71 · Bottom 37%
Access
94 · Top 47%
vs87 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
84 · Top 6%
vs80 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 98117 | 98026 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,711 | 38,976 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $182,984 | $133,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $95,671 | $66,456 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,982/sq mi | 4,154/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,043,500 | $821,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,178 | $1,957 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 74.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.8% | 49.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,827 | 452 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 10.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | 841.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 42.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.90 | 19.00 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 13.2% | 32.5% | 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
98117
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98026
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98117 — Seattle, WA · 98026 — Edmonds, WA · How this is calculated: methodology