98405 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98405
33309
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 28%
vs44 · Bottom 27%
Growth
71 · Top 13%
vs61 · Top 31%
Climate
74 · Top 37%
vs81 · Top 16%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 26%
vs21 · Bottom 15%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 23%
vs55 · Bottom 22%
Access
91 · Bottom 36%
vs99 · Top 19%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 45%
vs65 · Top 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 98405 | 33309 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,939 | 37,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,946 | $77,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,401 | $35,946 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,328/sq mi | 3,873/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $464,700 | $337,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,551 | $2,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 49.2% | 59.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.2% | 24.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.9% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,267 | 970 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 5.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 155.4% | -5.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 76°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 59°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 56.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 36.9 | 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
98405
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
33309
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 98405 — Tacoma, WA · 33309 — Fort Lauderdale, FL · How this is calculated: methodology