98117 and 98115 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
98115
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs56 · Top 48%
Growth
61 · Top 32%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 40%
vs66 · Bottom 30%
Access
94 · Top 47%
vs94 · Top 45%
Economic stability
84 · Top 6%
vs80 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | 98117 | 98115 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,711 | 54,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $182,984 | $156,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $95,671 | $91,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 8,982/sq mi | 8,294/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,043,500 | $1,094,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,178 | $2,143 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.6% | 59.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 75.8% | 80.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.6% | 5.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4,827 | 4,827 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.4 | 6.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | 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 | 12 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.6 min | 27.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.90 | 18.14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 13.2% | 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
98117
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98115
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98117 — Seattle, WA · 98115 — Seattle, WA · How this is calculated: methodology