Kirkland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake Forest Park
Kirkland
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs55 · Bottom 47%
Growth
19 · Bottom 8%
vs59 · Top 34%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
72 · Bottom 37%
vs61 · Bottom 22%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs93 · Top 46%
Economic stability
75 · Top 17%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Forest Park | Kirkland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,335 | 92,621 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $159,904 | $150,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $81,118 | $95,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,792/sq mi | 5,202/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $953,200 | $1,115,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,333 | $2,401 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.6% | 60.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66.0% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.0% | 6.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 452 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 4.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -40.0% | 9.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.1 | 38.3 | 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
Lake Forest Park
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Kirkland
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.
Lake Forest Park
60
Your Score
54
Area Score
Kirkland
65
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Lake Forest Park, WA · Kirkland, WA · How this is calculated: methodology