Seattle receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Des Moines
Seattle
Opportunity: Seattle is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 15%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth: Des Moines is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
73 · Top 13%
vs61 · Top 31%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability: Seattle is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
57 · Bottom 16%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability: Seattle is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 44%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Des Moines | Seattle | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,823 | 754,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,483 | $123,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,717 | $86,095 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,117/sq mi | 8,979/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $597,000 | $938,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,799 | $2,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 43.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.4% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 358 | 4,827 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.9 | 6.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3154.5% | 25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.6 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 109 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.13 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.9% | 33.9% | 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
Des Moines
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Seattle
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.
Des Moines
62
Your Score
56
Area Score
Seattle
64
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Des Moines, WA · Seattle, WA · How this is calculated: methodology