98248 and 98284 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
98248
98284
Opportunity
62 · Top 35%
vs63 · Top 34%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs47 · Bottom 43%
Climate
73 · Top 37%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 30%
vs72 · Bottom 38%
Access
41 · Bottom 2%
vs56 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs58 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 98248 | 98284 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,498 | 27,835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,060 | $93,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,916 | $42,294 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 397/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $589,600 | $482,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,469 | $1,556 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 73.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.4% | -0.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 42 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -72.5% | -29.7% | 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 | 71 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.52 | 19.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.4% | 54.1% | 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.
98284
Elevated or high exposure: volcanic activity, earthquake, coastal flooding.
Full profiles: 98248 — Ferndale, WA · 98284 — Sedro-Woolley, WA · How this is calculated: methodology