Arlington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Arlington
Renton
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Growth
65 · Top 24%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
53 · Bottom 13%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
72 · Bottom 14%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs72 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Arlington | Renton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,095 | 105,317 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,231 | $100,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,206 | $51,528 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,116/sq mi | 4,474/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $538,800 | $672,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,905 | $1,998 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 54.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 39.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 8.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 100 | 79 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.7 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 32.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Arlington
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Renton
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Arlington, WA · Renton, WA · How this is calculated: methodology