98221 and 98273 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
98221
98273
Opportunity
69 · Top 21%
vs62 · Top 36%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs31 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 19%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Access
59 · Bottom 6%
vs62 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
45 · Bottom 27%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 98221 | 98273 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,562 | 30,001 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $96,528 | $76,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,331 | $39,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 454/sq mi | 357/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $713,100 | $492,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,691 | $1,287 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 61.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.0% | 26.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 61 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 47.4% | 0.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 69°F | 69°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.9" | 19.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 65 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 51.6 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.75 | 17.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.8% | 65.8% | 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
98221
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, volcanic activity, coastal flooding.
98273
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity, earthquake, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 98221 — Anacortes, WA · 98273 — Mount Vernon, WA · How this is calculated: methodology