98188 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98188
98032
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 20%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
21 · Bottom 8%
vs25 · Bottom 11%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
40 · Bottom 31%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 15%
vs49 · Bottom 12%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
72 · Top 27%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 98188 | 98032 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,311 | 40,862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,438 | $82,636 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,508 | $41,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,386/sq mi | 2,397/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $456,400 | $520,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,678 | $1,862 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 41.5% | 42.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.1% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 17.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 24 | 109 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -91.8% | -12.1% | 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 | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 31.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.5 | 32.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.37 | 16.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.4% | 74.4% | 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.
98032
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98188 — Tukwila, WA · 98032 — Kent, WA · How this is calculated: methodology