Des Moines receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Auburn
Des Moines
Opportunity: Auburn is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 18%
vs39 · Bottom 15%
Growth: Des Moines is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
32 · Bottom 19%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience: Des Moines is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability: Auburn is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs57 · Bottom 16%
Access: Des Moines is the more favorable of the two.
Access
94 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability: Auburn is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
70 · Top 29%
vs58 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Auburn | Des Moines | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 85,676 | 32,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,884 | $92,483 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,587 | $43,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,897/sq mi | 5,117/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $547,900 | $597,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,786 | $1,799 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 60.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.6% | 33.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 12.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 49 | 358 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 10.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.9 min | 32.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.0 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 33 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.80 | 19.13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 63.1% | 66.9% | 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
Auburn
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Des Moines
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Auburn
59
Your Score
52
Area Score
Des Moines
62
Your Score
56
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Auburn, WA · Des Moines, WA · How this is calculated: methodology