98229 and 37405 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
98229
37405
Opportunity
69 · Top 22%
vs67 · Top 26%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
49 · Bottom 42%
vs42 · Bottom 32%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 19%
vs66 · Bottom 31%
Access
49 · Bottom 3%
vs49 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 98229 | 37405 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 33,298 | 18,109 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,945 | $81,337 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,213 | $71,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 664/sq mi | 333/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $633,500 | $460,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,670 | $1,438 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 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 | 53.1% | 53.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 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 | 81 mi | 86 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 19.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 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
98229
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
37405
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 98229 — Bellingham, WA · 37405 — Chattanooga, TN · How this is calculated: methodology