98371 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98498
98371
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 26%
vs46 · Bottom 32%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
74 · Top 36%
vs74 · Top 36%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 28%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs90 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 47%
vs67 · Top 35%
Measured values
| Metric | 98498 | 98371 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,209 | 24,682 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,664 | $97,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,374 | $47,941 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,937/sq mi | 2,085/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $506,300 | $556,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,711 | $1,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.9% | 71.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.8% | 28.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.1% | 8.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 396 | 285 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.3 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -7.9% | 223.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 76°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 33.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 38.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.14 | 19.74 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 64.2% | 41.7% | 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
98498
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98371
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98498 — Lakewood, WA · 98371 — Puyallup, WA · How this is calculated: methodology