98407 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98371
98407
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 32%
vs53 · Bottom 46%
Growth
67 · Top 20%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 29%
vs66 · Bottom 30%
Access
90 · Bottom 39%
vs92 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs61 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 98371 | 98407 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,682 | 21,718 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,242 | $110,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,941 | $63,292 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,085/sq mi | 4,029/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $556,800 | $656,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,769 | $1,909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.9% | 63.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.7% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 285 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.7 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 223.9% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 76°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.5 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 46.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.74 | 20.22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 41.7% | 31.7% | 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
98371
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98407
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98371 — Puyallup, WA · 98407 — Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology