98188 and 98002 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
98188
98002
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 20%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
21 · Bottom 8%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 15%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs94 · Top 45%
Economic stability
72 · Top 27%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 98188 | 98002 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,311 | 37,509 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,438 | $78,684 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,508 | $35,810 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,386/sq mi | 5,236/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $456,400 | $421,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,678 | $1,659 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.5% | 48.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 24 | 49 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 35.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.37 | 17.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.4% | 66.9% | 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
98188
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98002
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98188 — Tukwila, WA · 98002 — Auburn, WA · How this is calculated: methodology