98201 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98201
98499
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
58 · Top 37%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 34%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
52 · Bottom 14%
vs53 · Bottom 15%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs87 · Bottom 32%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 32%
vs47 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 98201 | 98499 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,895 | 32,464 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,554 | $67,292 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,822 | $41,917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,701/sq mi | 3,671/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $499,800 | $408,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,556 | $1,473 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.6% | 37.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.6% | 18.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.6% | 16.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 544 | 396 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 6.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.5% | -7.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 31.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 36.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.78 | 16.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.0% | 77.8% | 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
98201
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98499
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98201 — Everett, WA · 98499 — Lakewood, WA · How this is calculated: methodology