98203 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98166
98203
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 29%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs45 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 28%
vs68 · Bottom 33%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs83 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 47%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 98166 | 98203 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,082 | 35,517 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $114,969 | $107,376 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $66,945 | $50,610 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,823/sq mi | 3,003/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $824,400 | $608,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,782 | $1,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.9% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.9% | 33.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 222 | 544 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 96.5% | -13.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.3 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.6 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.61 | 19.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.6% | 65.1% | 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
98166
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98203
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98166 — Burien, WA · 98203 — Everett, WA · How this is calculated: methodology