Seattle receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fife
Seattle
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
24 · Bottom 11%
vs61 · Top 31%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 15%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Fife | Seattle | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,949 | 754,195 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,532 | $123,860 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,696 | $86,095 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,877/sq mi | 8,979/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $543,100 | $938,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,889 | $2,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.3% | 43.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 68.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 9.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 4,827 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 6.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 76°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.3 | 35.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 109 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.92 | 16.89 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 55.7% | 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
Fife
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Seattle
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Fife, WA · Seattle, WA · How this is calculated: methodology