99362 and 98226 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
99362
98226
Opportunity
55 · Top 49%
vs65 · Top 30%
Growth
55 · Top 41%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
68 · Bottom 44%
vs73 · Top 37%
Physical resilience
61 · Top 47%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 28%
vs48 · Bottom 11%
Access
39 · Bottom 2%
vs45 · Bottom 2%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 27%
vs57 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 99362 | 98226 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,853 | 46,782 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,474 | $79,375 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,164 | $45,504 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 141/sq mi | 442/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $429,600 | $607,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,293 | $1,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.7% | 62.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.9% | -0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 195 | 621 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 6.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 39.3% | -18.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 73°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.7" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 90 mi | 88 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 14.7 min | 20.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.41 | 17.82 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.1% | 42.8% | 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
99362
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
98226
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 99362 — Walla Walla, WA · 98226 — Bellingham, WA · How this is calculated: methodology