98926 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
98926
86004
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 16%
vs31 · Bottom 10%
Growth
34 · Bottom 24%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
66 · Bottom 38%
vs58 · Bottom 9%
Physical resilience
19 · Bottom 13%
vs22 · Bottom 17%
Housing affordability
58 · Bottom 20%
vs55 · Bottom 17%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs86 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 34%
vs55 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 98926 | 86004 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,353 | 36,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,137 | $81,172 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,594 | $43,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 37/sq mi | 40/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $470,300 | $509,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,338 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.5% | 62.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -4.8% | -7.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.8% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 11.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 302 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.0% | -47.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 24°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 9.2" | 20.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 51 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 19.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.2 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.83 | 14.59 | 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
98926
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, avalanche, earthquake.
86004
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: 98926 — Ellensburg, WA · 86004 — Flagstaff, AZ · How this is calculated: methodology