98516 and 98597 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
98516
98597
Opportunity
72 · Top 17%
vs71 · Top 19%
Growth
82 · Top 3%
vs71 · Top 14%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 19%
vs72 · Bottom 37%
Access
80 · Bottom 21%
vs76 · Bottom 17%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 43%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 98516 | 98597 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,177 | 26,669 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,892 | $92,219 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,679 | $39,279 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,012/sq mi | 240/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $572,500 | $447,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,068 | $1,638 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.6% | 78.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 24.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.4% | 7.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 788 | 127 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.6 | 11.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 141.0% | -27.8% | 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 | 33 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.2 min | 38.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.65 | 20.85 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.5% | 48.1% | 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
98516
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98597
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98516 — Lacey, WA · 98597 — Yelm, WA · How this is calculated: methodology