98512 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98597
98512
Opportunity
71 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 5%
Growth
71 · Top 14%
vs76 · Top 8%
Climate
69 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Bottom 46%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 25%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 37%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Access
76 · Bottom 17%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs71 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 98597 | 98512 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,669 | 31,864 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,219 | $101,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,279 | $50,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 240/sq mi | 230/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $447,600 | $472,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,638 | $1,765 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 72.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.1% | 36.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.8% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 127 | 298 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.4 | 11.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.8% | -8.6% | 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 | 43 mi | 49 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 38.9 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 40.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 20.85 | 17.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 48.1% | 36.9% | 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
98597
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
98512
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 98597 — Yelm, WA · 98512 — Tumwater, WA · How this is calculated: methodology