98409 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98409
95350
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 21%
vs34 · Bottom 12%
Growth
71 · Top 13%
vs65 · Top 23%
Climate
74 · Top 37%
vs77 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 26%
vs22 · Bottom 18%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 21%
vs57 · Bottom 24%
Access
89 · Bottom 31%
vs93 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
62 · Top 46%
vs51 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 98409 | 95350 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,843 | 57,136 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,348 | $75,621 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,831 | $34,183 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,899/sq mi | 6,466/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $394,500 | $429,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,645 | $1,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.4% | 56.8% | 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 | 22.4% | 21.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.6% | 13.9% | 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 | 18 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 29.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.2 | 35.7 | 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
98409
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
95350
Elevated or high exposure: drought, earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: 98409 — Tacoma, WA · 95350 — Modesto, CA · How this is calculated: methodology