98506 and 98502 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
98506
98502
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs76 · Top 12%
Growth
50 · Bottom 48%
vs50 · Bottom 48%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 39%
vs64 · Bottom 27%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 29%
vs52 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 98506 | 98502 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,497 | 35,398 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,596 | $92,207 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,973 | $49,344 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 824/sq mi | 558/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $490,900 | $537,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,461 | $1,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.3% | 57.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.8% | 52.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 13.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 217 | 217 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.2% | -26.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.6" | 50.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 25.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.4 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.39 | 17.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.9% | 42.9% | 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
98506
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98502
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98506 — Olympia, WA · 98502 — Olympia, WA · How this is calculated: methodology