98264 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98248
98264
Opportunity
62 · Top 35%
vs63 · Top 34%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs58 · Top 37%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 30%
vs69 · Bottom 34%
Access
41 · Bottom 2%
vs34 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs69 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 98248 | 98264 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,498 | 23,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,060 | $103,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,916 | $46,257 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 397/sq mi | 405/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $589,600 | $609,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,469 | $1,688 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 28.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 69 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 4.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -72.5% | 35.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 73°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 93 mi | 98 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 21.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 35.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.52 | 19.88 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.4% | 43.2% | 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
98248
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98264
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98248 — Ferndale, WA · 98264 — Lynden, WA · How this is calculated: methodology