Snohomish receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fife
Snohomish
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs47 · Bottom 32%
Growth
24 · Bottom 11%
vs33 · Bottom 20%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 26%
vs45 · Bottom 35%
Housing affordability
56 · Bottom 15%
vs51 · Bottom 11%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs82 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs64 · Top 42%
Measured values
| Metric | Fife | Snohomish | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,949 | 10,239 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,532 | $87,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,696 | $51,704 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,877/sq mi | 2,908/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $543,100 | $683,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,889 | $1,654 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.3% | 55.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.9% | 34.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 76°F | 72°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 33.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 29 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 31.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.3 | 42.5 | 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
Fife
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Snohomish
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Fife, WA · Snohomish, WA · How this is calculated: methodology