98277 and 98271 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
98277
98271
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 41%
vs48 · Bottom 37%
Growth
53 · Top 46%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs45 · Bottom 34%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 20%
vs56 · Bottom 18%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
60 · Top 49%
vs56 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 98277 | 98271 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 40,917 | 30,838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,253 | $95,654 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,272 | $45,872 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 715/sq mi | 681/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $499,600 | $538,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,672 | $2,062 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.7% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 22.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 119 | 510 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 7.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 5.3% | -23.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 69°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 19.9" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 39 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.6 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.9 | 39.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.20 | 17.46 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.1% | 56.9% | 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
98277
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, coastal flooding.
98271
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98277 — Oak Harbor, WA · 98271 — Marysville, WA · How this is calculated: methodology