98406 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98406
95356
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 45%
vs42 · Bottom 24%
Growth
71 · Top 13%
vs65 · Top 23%
Climate
74 · Top 37%
vs77 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 26%
vs22 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
66 · Bottom 37%
vs63 · Bottom 32%
Access
91 · Bottom 36%
vs96 · Top 42%
Economic stability
72 · Top 26%
vs69 · Top 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 98406 | 95356 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,202 | 33,233 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $104,264 | $96,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,501 | $50,112 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,789/sq mi | 1,496/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $638,400 | $532,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,764 | $1,877 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 67.6% | 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 | 48.7% | 31.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.0% | 7.6% | 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 | 16 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 30.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.7 | 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
98406
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
95356
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 98406 — Tacoma, WA · 95356 — Modesto, CA · How this is calculated: methodology