98404 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98404
95355
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 25%
vs38 · Bottom 17%
Growth
71 · Top 13%
vs65 · Top 23%
Climate
74 · Top 37%
vs77 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 26%
vs22 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 41%
vs60 · Bottom 27%
Access
90 · Bottom 32%
vs92 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
61 · Top 49%
vs59 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 98404 | 95355 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,961 | 60,710 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,191 | $86,849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,598 | $40,081 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,094/sq mi | 6,496/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $413,900 | $469,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,483 | $1,795 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.6% | 62.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 6.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 24.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.4% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,267 | 768 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 155.4% | 247.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 76°F | 95°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 39°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 12.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 30.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-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
98404
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
95355
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 98404 — Tacoma, WA · 95355 — Modesto, CA · How this is calculated: methodology