37405 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98226
37405
Opportunity
65 · Top 30%
vs67 · Top 26%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs42 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
48 · Bottom 11%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Access
45 · Bottom 2%
vs49 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 45%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 98226 | 37405 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 46,782 | 18,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,375 | $81,337 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,504 | $71,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 442/sq mi | 333/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $607,600 | $460,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,620 | $1,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.4% | 48.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 621 | 993 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.6 | 5.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -18.4% | 2.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 55.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 88 mi | 86 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.6 min | 19.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 3 | 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
98226
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
37405
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 98226 — Bellingham, WA · 37405 — Chattanooga, TN · How this is calculated: methodology