98422 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98390
98422
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 29%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
75 · Top 9%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 25%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Access
90 · Bottom 40%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
82 · Top 8%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 98390 | 98422 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,546 | 21,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,795 | $118,604 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,049 | $55,678 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,256/sq mi | 3,086/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $510,000 | $663,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,969 | $2,180 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.4% | 78.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.0% | 5.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 176 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.4 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 282.6% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.9 min | 35.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.9 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.98 | 19.39 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.4% | 41.6% | 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
98390
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98422
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98390 — Sumner, WA · 98422 — Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology